Audacious crooner, Donna Adja, aka Donna Diva, is arguably one of the sexiest in the Nigerian music industry. The artiste who mixes almost all the music genres is an Urhobo in Delta State. She shared with YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine her passion for music and fashion.
What have you been doing of recent?
I just did a new video titled Gaga. It’s all about being hypnotized by music. Nobody hates music, no matter the type. We all love music. I did it because I wanted something extreme and abstract. So, I had to create an avator for the video. I even pimped my car in the video. It was shot like 4 months ago in Epe, an outskirt of Lagos State and was directed by Mat Max, one of the new guys on the block.
What inspires you?
I’m a very creative person and for every song I write, I normally have a concept for it in my head before I bring it out. I think far to get an abstract idea so as to stand out among others.
Most times people think you are on drugs with your energetic performance on stage. Are you?
When it comes to music and dancing, I try to lose myself. Ordinarily, I’m a very quite person, but always become different when I’m on stage or shooting a video. When I get on stage, I get crazy.
What has been the greatest limitation to your music career?
Trying to get people to believe in your dream, buy into it and trust you. Sometimes you work with the wrong people, like a whole lot of them who will just come for the money, dupe you and run away. They never care about where you are coming from or what you have been through. Then, our industry is yet to take female artistes seriously the way they do to our male counterparts, because I believe that we females are strong, sexy and beautiful. But when you go to shows, you see ten guys and one female and that has not been impressing us at all.
Do you have the intention of establishing a fashion line in the nearest future?
Of course. I’m trying to put music and fashion together to make it a whole package of entertainment. I make crazy dresses of my own. In fact, most of the crazy dress I wear are made by me, so I’m going to launch my own clothing line very soon.
You combine fashion with music, how are you able to achieve this?
I think part of it is from my mum. She used to be a fashion designer when I was still young. But when I grew much older, something in me just loved creating something; most especially clothes. I even teach my siblings and friends how to sew clothes. I have a machine of my own. So, creating things, generally, has been a part of me.
You are sexy, young and single, how do you handle your male fans?
I’m a Warri girl and they used to say “Warri no dey carry last”. I will always find a way to handle them. If someone comes up to me on stage and tries to touch my sensitive parts, I will still smile, but in my eyes you will see the expression, “Don’t do that”. Even with the smiling face you will still see the seriousness in it. But I don’t fight or quarrel because I know these things happens. Sometimes when I’m on stage with my sexy dresses, it happens. But I use my Warri and God given sense to handle them.
What style of music is yours?
My kind of music is a bit confusing. It’s not that I’m confused, but it confusing because I’ve done live band for so long; almost 6 years and I sang all kinds of songs, from gospel, Indian, reggae, blues. I’ve never pitched my tent with just one kind of music because it is just too small for me and I won’t be comfortable with just one style of music. It will just be like eating the same soup everyday. So, I infused a bit of everything into my coming album so as to spice it up.
Who do you see as a role model in the industry and why?
I like 2Face. He is my number one because he is very humble, despite all he has achieved and I like humble people as well. I also look up to Asa and D’Banj and for the female singers, I like Tiwa Savage, Omawumi and a whole lot of other female singers. But I can lie down and roll on the floor to have a 2Face on my track.
NB: First published December 2013