He is a good song writer, quality performer and also one of the few talented and successful R n B singers in Nigeria. Fun to be with and good-mannered, the die-hard Arsenal fan opened up to YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine’s JULIET IKEOKWU at his studio, in Oniru, Victoria Island, on Tuesday, August 23, 2016. Excerpts…
What got you interested in music?
It’s not like I wanted to do music; I stumbled upon it. My house is like a school where you have to read books. That’s the kind of house I grew up in. Music was not part of the plan at all.
How many siblings do you have?
Two, a brother and a sister. They are both in Lagos and they are not into music. They can’t even sing. I took all their voices (laughing).
How often do you visit your maternal home in Ghana?
As often as I can, but I keep in touch with my relatives there.
What makes a good music to you?
It must arouse certain emotions, be it happiness, sadness, repentance, joy, both in terms of the lyrics, beats, groove.
What is the costliest mistake that any musician can make?
Not to know your trade, and to always think that you will be up there forever.
What do you mean by not to know your trade?
Not to know music for what music is, because if you don’t know about something, abuse is inevitable. If you know it, there are certain things that you will apply that will make it even better. In life, everything can get better. You have to read enough, know enough, have enough tools in your hand. That’s what I mean. Just like a doctor knows medicine, that’s how a musician should know music.
How many albums have you released?
I released an album in 2010 titled Beautiful Noise, it has 13 tracks and I have an album that is almost ready.
Which of your songs is your favourite?
I really don’t have a favourite; my favourite is always the one I’m working on. The one that excites me is the one I’m working on. After that, I move on to the next one.
What are you working on presently?
Like I said, I’m working on my album and many songs. I have songs titled Medicine, Lonely, Sermonized…
When are we expecting the album?
Before the coming of Christ (laughs), which is soon. I’m almost done, but I cannot give you a specific date.
What do you like about being a musician?
The ability to create something from nothing, creating melody from nothing. It’s like getting pregnant and giving birth and looking at the finished work and you will be like oh, this started from probably one line or one idea; the aftermath of a particular song is what makes it beautiful. Also, the ability to connect to people like you in a crowd and people singing your song. It’s like that’s the ultimate feeling. You feel like, look at this child of mine making me proud.
What is the greatest thing that music has done for you?
It’s done a lot; ability to be recognized wherever you are, to make people happy. It has opened doors for me financially. I have a family and I could go somewhere and get preferential treatment. It has opened my eyes to see that anything is possible. That’s one of the biggest lessons. Sometimes you may meet destiny on the road and try to avoid it, because I stumbled upon it; I’ve loved music ever since, but I never saw it like one thing I would do and now it’s happening.
What has music not done for you?
I’m not where I ought to be and I’m not also where I used to be. That’s why I always wake up every day wanting to learn something new because I think that there is a lot I can still offer in terms of music.
In your opinion, why do you think it’s difficult for some musicians to sustain success?
Being carried away. That’s basically the first one. When the spotlight is on you; people will be hailing you; they stop working as hard as they did when they started; they lose steam. When they started, it was like this is all that matters, it’s like all you did was to get to that point. The hardest part is not getting there, but staying there. Then the money comes, fans, guys, girls, the distractions, party life, false life, trying to live up to expectations. The life that comes with fame, friends and everything, so they don’t put as much energy and as much focus as they did when they were beginning.
What distinguishes you from other musicians out there?
Basically, it’s me; what I want, I want. I just want to see how it feels to be the best, with the simplest and deepest melody possible.
Do you see yourself as a humble man?
I don’t know what that means, but I am me and like the guy next door. There is nothing that I have that is truly mine, that wasn’t given to me by God. There is nothing to boast about.
Maybe that’s why people see you as a humble man?
I don’t know. They said so, you can go and ask them.
Are you just hearing it for the first time?
No, I’ve heard the rumour before. I’m just being me, nothing extra. I don’t put an effort to be me.
Do you think that people take advantage of your humility?
Of course! In life, people will always take advantage of everything, but then you can’t be somebody just because another person let you down. You can’t take a bend and say no, from today I’m going to be dealing with people differently. That will be you being somebody else.
Which of your songs are you indifferent about?
I do that to probably all my songs, but after a while when I learn or read through something new, I’ll be like oh, I should have sang it like this, I wish I knew this thing then and would have come out differently.
But you can do a remix and add the new idea to it?
I will just move forward and apply it to something else.
If you were not a musician, what would you have been?
It’s hard to say, but I know that I won’t just be sitting down in somebody’s office. I will still be writing because I like to write: poems, books, something that pertains to writing.
How did you feel when you read or heard what Majek Fashek said about you?
I laughed, because I have everything on my phone; signed documents of the money I gave them. If you do something the right way, you don’t feel bad when someone is accusing you falsely. If you go and marry your wife legally, went to her father, knelt down, paid the dowry, at what point would you feel bad?
I think that’s the only thing that is close to a scandal that you’ve had. How do you stay away from scandals?
I sit at my house, I stay out of trouble. I smell trouble from a mile away.
What is the nicest thing that you’ve heard about yourself?
That I’m a cool guy, a great musician.
How do you get your inspiration?
Everything! As we are talking now, I might just get an inspiration. It comes.
What would you do if it comes now, will you stop the interview and start writing?
I will leave you sef. Just joking. I have a writing pad; I have a phone that does that for me; it records.
Have you ever got a song while sleeping?
A lot of times I wake up with a song on my head. Like Heaven Please came like that.
What are the challenges you face as a musician?
Sometimes you just want to be alone, without your phone ringing, but you can’t because it’s part of the job description. It’s hard oh, trust me. It’s lonely. You want to do some common things, but you can’t without being recognized. Too many restrictions. But me I no dey follow dem do dat one. I will just go out and buy what I want to buy.
What is your biggest regret?
That my grandmother is not here. That’s just all. I just wish that she didn’t die.
Talking about regrets, don’t you regret choosing to save Vicky over Joe Blue in the just concluded The Voice Nigeria?
Why? Because Nigerians on Twitter think that he is a much better singer and performer than Vicky? They have their opinions; I’m the coach, they are not. If they loved him, why didn’t they save him? I pushed somebody for you to save because I felt somebody else was better and you didn’t save the person. Who are you blaming? No, answer now!
They are blaming you for not saving him first?
Me? And you did not save him when you had the chance to. They did not love him enough to save him, it’s that simple. Okay, husband and wife; we are arguing, I carry our child and drop outside. Because I dropped him, you will leave him outside even when it’s raining for the father to come and carry him since he was the one that left him there. Madam, I don’t have any regrets, trust me. If I’m in the same situation, I will do it again.
Many people thought that Cornel will win The Voice Nigeria, as his coach, did you feel that way too?
Assumption. Life is not about assumption. That’s the problem with us human. We assume and nobody does the job. You have to put in the work. Dem say dog wey community get, hunger dey kill am. Favorites most times never win because everybody thinks that everybody is voting for them and nobody is voting. I was surprised that he didn’t get to the top two, but to win is a different thing all together. The person that was voted for won, it’s not by magic.
What was the experience like?
Beautiful, trust me. How our country is littered with talents; how people can sing and work hard. How they improve with time. My joy is that they all grew in the programme. They all took something home. Like I always tell them, whatever happens to you after now, that’s you. This is an opportunity you have gotten, the PR value you have gotten, what you use it to do is all yours.
How do you handle advances from you female admirers?
Ah, I tell them that I am married oh. It’s hello, hi, after that I’m happily married. I say it very well.
Why did you decide to write Iyawo mi for your wife? Did she do anything special?
Because she is my wife. I’m a love song singer; if I want to sing a love song, I will sing it to my wife first. The best of it has to be to my wife. That’s when it makes sense to me. I sang that song on my wedding day and I released it later. That’s like 5 years after I sang it.
And she’s been enjoying the sweet song?
Ehen now! It’s her song, but I decided to share it with the world.
How do you relax?
In my studio. I take my kids out to go get ice cream, exercise and enjoy my life. Life is too short.
God has been kind to you, what else would you like Him to do for you?
I want to live a fulfilled life, I want to fulfill purpose and want more wisdom. Purpose is not legacy; purpose is the will of God for your life. What He has assigned you to do on earth. And I’ve not even started to do that.
What is the secret of your success?
I’m just me, trust me. There is nothing more I’m doing. I pray a lot, I tell God to please hold me.
What would you say is the most difficult side of being a musician?
We put too much burden on ourselves as musicians. People look at artistes that they see on TV like they are not real; so many artistes try to live that way, and not real life that people expect. You live above your income, be everywhere at the same time. The truth is that you cannot please everybody and still do much for yourself, and be creative. The meat of the whole thing is to always stay creative. You can easily distract yourself with many things and get carried away with what people say, social media life, this person said or posted this and that; you will miss the whole point. At the end of the day, you are carrying so much weight that should not be there.
What is the worst thing you have read or heard about yourself?
That I am a snub. Maybe that time hunger was catching me and I was not even seeing what they were seeing.
What turns you off in a person?
Pride. If you are always talking about I, like you got to where you are by yourself; I like people that have a learning spirit. I hate people that you cannot correct or give advice.
How long did you court your wife? Do you consider yourself romantic?
I don’t know what you are talking about. I am just me, I don’t know if it is being romantic. I like to have fun and be happy. I have one wife.
How do you cope as a husband, father and a musician?
Everything has its place, family has its time and music has its time. Two years talking, she wanted to friend zone me, but God did not allow it. God said this is not going to work.
How do you keep being focused?
I don’t overwork myself, I just do my best. I set weekly targets, I avoid putting myself under too much pressure. I can decide that I want to read from chapter one to two of this book this week, I’m going to probably play 10 hours of piano this week and I am going to listen to five albums this week or I’m going to take my kids out. And I try to learn every day, anything to improve myself.
Are we ever going to get a collaboration between you and 2Baba?
By the grace of God, yes; we are not working on anything yet, but when God allows it, it will happen.
Can one say that Timi is a gospel artiste?
No, I sing love songs, I sing inspirational songs; I can also do a dance song. I do good music, that’s all.
Which city do you like to do your vacation?
I don’t have a particular country. But so far, I will say I like Cape Town, South Africa. I love the aerial view, the sea sides. I wanted to shoot a music video there, but it didn’t work out.
You don’t always feature people on you songs, what is the reason for that?
It’s my song now, I can decide not to feature. But I have people on my album. If I write a song and I think somebody should be in it, then it will happen, because that is the idea. I won’t just do it because everybody is doing it. If I have a song that is just for me, then it’s just for me. I don’t need somebody else to come and sing it for me. Life is not that hard.
If you have the opportunity to feature a foreign artiste, who would it be?
If I have a song, it will be Jay Z, Lil Wayne, Adele and Tina Turner.
What kind of books do you like to read?
I read what concerns me, anything that has to do with music. I don’t want to fill my head with the steps to making money, you know all that kind of motivational books; four steps of having a happy home (laughs).
What else do you do outside music?
I am a house husband.
Would you allow any of your children to go into music?
I will support them; if my children want to do anything, as long as they have the talent, I will give them my 100 percent support. Even if it’s business or fine art. What if I force them to do what I like and they are not happy, what is my joy?
What can you say about the state of the nation?
I don’t know, we are not where we ought to be, but we will get there. That’s all I can say.
What’s your advice to the youths who look up to you?
Dream! While at it, work hard, dream dreams that when you tell the next person, the person will think that you are a fool and start working towards it. Don’t sit back and say there is no time, there is time. Work hard, better yourself every day. If you tell yourself that everyday, you will learn something; in a year, you would’ve learnt 365 new things. You won’t remain the same after one year. It’s not possible.