Weird entertainer, Denrele usually says it as it is. Hitherto with Soundcity, but now with Channel O, the young man who has a lot of followers and admirers opened up to MICHAEL IRABOR on a lot of issues. Enjoy……
Congratulations once again on your new job with Channel O.
Thank you very much. Congratulations because yes I deserve it. I think it is not just an accolade well deserved, but it’s about time. You know that I decided to spread my tentacles; like proceed into the international scene. And you know it’s a gradual step. So, right now, I am currently working on a platform that celebrates African music. So, I will say thank you for congratulating me and I’m also congratulating you for congratulating me. And we shall keep congratulating ourselves. Because next time you would see me on E! Gbam!
How does it feel working for Channel O?
Apart from the numerous e-mails, those people can send e-mails. Ehh! I think it is a blessing because it came at a point when I really needed something to do. It came at a point when I was a little unsure of what step I was going to take. It came at a point when I felt okay, I hope my creativity is not going to the window. So, I would say that it’s an excellent platform. Why? Because it has given me the opportunity to even do other things that I would like to do. I had worked at previous places when time for myself was so limited that I wonder. All I did was just work for that brand and not even face myself. But Channel O has given me the opportunity to focus on myself and other people as well. But, when it’s time to work, it’s time to work. And I like the fact that I have the most amazing boss ever. She’s always calling, she’s always give feedbacks and I like feedbacks a lot. The rest, hmm! Don’t get started.
Did you ever imagine that you were going to get such opportunity?
I like that question. Well, I knew that something bigger was coming my way. Because when I was working with Soundcity, I would always ask myself, “what next?” I mean, I can’t stay in Soundcity for ever. What am I going to do next? In as much that I’m the one who always tell people that the past is gone to hell with it, the present is here, face it; the future is not yet here, let it wait. I live for the moment because life is short. I live it much like it’s the last one. But I have to think of the future. I have to prepare my mindset for the future. So, I said to myself, well, I had always been hoping for E! Because E! for me is like that platform that I want. I am craving it like crazy, I am praying and fasting. Yes, I pray and fast. I go to church. So, when Channel O came, I said to myself this is part of bigger things to come. I think this is just the beginning. I haven’t done anything yet, but I’m going to give Channel O my best shot.
What’s your duty in Channel O?
Am an on air personality, Channel O ambassador, Channel O spokes person and also I’m in charge of creatives. I am not just the only one. We are six new presenters that were employed. I’m the only one from Nigeria. There is girl, Joey from Kenya; another girl, Joke from Tanzania; there is a guy, Jay from Ghana, then another girl, Flavia from Uganda. Then, Myah from South Africa. So, we all have different assigned duties, job specifications.
So, has it been challenging so far?
Let me tell you what is challenging about this; when you are working for a new brand, you have to be careful not to be the same person that people used to see with the brand that you used to work for previously. Your style should not change, but you should be a little flexible. It should evolve. I mean, you can keep hearing the same question, seeing the same hand gesticulations, and the same facial expressions. You have to evolve. I have experimented with my looks since I’ve been in Channel O. I’m a bit restructured and more organized and there is a lot going on right now. But at the same time, I have to represent the brand values of Channel O. Channel O is an international brand. At the same time, when you work in a new place, you have to follow protocol. And I have noticed being in Channel O, you don’t just rush and do things. You have to go through this to do this, meet this person to do that.
You work with Channel O, which is in South Africa, but you are always in Nigeria. How do you do it?
Like I said, my job description. Events are happening in Nigeria. You know that Nigeria is currently the hottest entertainment centre, when it comes to movies, when it comes to music. If it comes to movies, I will tell you that there are three largest movie producing industries in the world. First is Hollywood, second is Bollywood and third is Nollywood. But now, it is Hollywood, Nollywood, Bollywood. You go to places like Barbadoes and people are like God…we watch Nigerian movies and you are like, are you for real? So, in terms of movies, we are ahead of the pack. Everything happens in Nigeria. So, definitely, you must have a Nigerian Rep. who is handling all these things. And who is also in the know, who knows what’s happening, who is someone that knows all the artists and knows what they are up to, who knows the structure of the industry and what dimension music is going. Basically, someone who knows everything and that’s where I fit in. I fit into that description and that’s why I execute my job gbam! And once I’m done, if I have to go to South Africa to do anything important, I go. So, I go back and forth. And I think it’s interesting. And they keep stamping my passport.
So, you are saying you go there occasionally?
Yes.
What do you miss about Soundcity?
Very good question. I would be a bitch if I say I don’t miss anything about Soundcity or I would be an ungrateful witch. Let me tell you what I miss about Soundcity. Soundcity opened my eyes to a lot of things. Soundcity taught me how to work under a crazy harsh environment. So, Soundcity taught me how to handle pressure, Soundcity taught me how to be at alert, and best of all, Soundcity always prepared me for the unexpected. You know, sitting in my house and I get a call and the call goes, be at Eko Hotel in the next one hour and I ask for what and person says I don’t know. And the person hangs up. And I have to be at Eko Hotel, I have to look good, and I have to be ready to handle the job. And I don’t know what’s happening. So, I would say Soundcity really taught me a lot. And I’m so grateful. But I had to move on. And Channel O, right now, is a very organized structure. It has a very sequenced frame work. And it’s so new to me. Because if you want to get paid in Channel O, you have to write one invoice that you have to email to one person that has to approve and approve. But in Soundcity, all you had to do was, just to go and pick your cheque. You always have to follow protocol. And Soundcity taught me all these. It has made me a very organized person.
Rumours have it that you left Soundcity as a result of a misunderstanding with the owner. How true is this?
Well, that’s very true. You know every job has its ups and downs. And I would be very sincere, a very truthful person. I would say it as it is. Yes, I had a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding that came out of nowhere. I don’t want people to come on my side and pity me. And say Derenle really worked a lot for the Soundcity brand or he made the brand what it is today, bla! ba bla! I don’t need people to say all of those things. We know they are true. But the misunderstanding came out and I think maybe it was an opportunity to just move on to other stuff. Am not happy that it happened, because I’m still in shock as why it happened and why the company reacted that way. It was a negative reaction. It took me by surprise. Don’t ask me cause I won’t go into details all of those kind of stuff you know. Now I am elsewhere. So, I feel when God puts you somewhere, He exalt you and moves you elsewhere.
What’s the worst rumour you have heard about yourself?
Ah! Plenty, plenty…I have heard so much. There was a time they said I was dating Cossy, and there was also a time they said I was dating Omoni Oboli who is married, and her husband is a friend of mine. There was a time they said I had a child in teenage days, but I gave the child up for adoption because I couldn’t take care of the child and now I wanted the child back. There was also a time they said I was bleaching my skin, and I just came back from Malaysia where I went to get a skin wash. And there is also one about my sexuality. They said I’m gay and all that. But who cares. You just hear people say all kinds of things. Good publicity is good publicity, bad publicity is good publicity. No publicity at all is bad publicity hea!
Just for the records, are you gay?
(Laughs). I knew I was going to hear this question. Just for the records as well, no, I am not gay (screams).
What was your best moment in 2011?
2011, I would tell you, the Channel O job. And you know I wasn’t sure I had gotten the Channel O job because they called me and said Denrele, you are going to be the only presenter from Nigeria bla! bla! I said me I don’t believe this people. Until they give me that microphone and I saw myself on the station. But you know what? The day I held the microphone, the very first “can you quickly remember the first day?” speak to friends. I think it was everybody loves Ice Prince. I said to myself, this is the moment, this is the moment (shouts loud). And 2011 was a very good year for me because I had so many shows. Do you know I was like hot commodity in Abuja? I would go for a show in Abuja and other people would start calling me for other shows. I can remember I went to Abuja for four days and I ended up doing over 10 to 12 shows. Not just Abuja, it was also a period where I had won two awards in 2011, which was Nigerian Broadcasters Awards (NBA) and Most Popular T.V Presenter 2011. I went to South Africa for a training with the Channel O brand, I got to meet the whole Channel O staffers, all of which was a very good experience for me. I got Glo Naija Sings, Return of Jenifa. So, I was basically in the news. Like I always tell people, I don’t read the news, I make the news.
How many awards have you won?
Okay I have 13 awards and two recognition award so that’s 15. I started presenting in 2005, from 2005 to 2012, altogether, the awards are actually 19. The 13 are for my work, two special recognition, then the remaining four are awards that I have received as initiative awards for being involved or participating in certain stuffs. Which is very good for a six years career.
I must say am impressed and tombs up.
Thanks.
Are you presently in a relationship?
No, I am not oh. I am single, I am not married, I am searching and I am ready to mingle.
When do you intend getting married?
People keep asking me that question. I remember when I used to tell people I would get married when I’m 30. But now, I would say when I’m 34. Marriage is a full time commitment and it involves a lot. Marriage is serious work and I don’t want to rush into it and rush out. I love kid as well. I don’t want a situation where I rush into marriage and it is not working, then my kids have to suffer. I would get married when the time is right.
You featured in the Return of Jenifa, what was it like, was your role challenging?
Funke Akindele…poisonous woman, that what I called her on set. It was an amazing experience. Why? That role I was given, even though I didn’t have so much, the work or the bulk of my character was in the dance. And I remember that before we even started shooting the movie, we were having continuous rehearsals. Because we had to properly present the dance sequences. Omo, do you know that last scene where Eldee performed, the one that we all danced as Eldee’s back up dancers? We did that scene 12 times. If you noticed, everyone was a little bit tired. I was the energetic one. You know in every dance academy, you always have one person that is always trying to outdo everybody else? And I took that dance upon my head and said to myself, “This, I must get it right”. I still remember the steps. And we did like three different sequences. It was challenging, but above all of that, everybody in the movie were industry friends and colleagues, so it was like one big family. And I want to thank Funke Akindele for the great opportunity.
Apart from The Return of Jenifa, have you featured in any other movie?
Yes, I featured in Omo Ghetto part 2. The ghetto is like another world on its own. I have also gotten scripts from other movie producers.
Who designs your clothes and your hair?
Currently, I have an amazing designer, her name is Remi Buttons. She is so amazing she makes me all these clothes and does not even collect a dime. But at the onset when I was building my brand, I used to design my clothes myself. I would sit down construct, tear, rip, stitch, patch, pin all my clothes and it was hectic. Remi makes all the clothes I wear, apart from this. A designer actually gave this to me for free. Kudos to Remi. Then, I make my hair myself. Apart from the sophisticated hair style I carry. Those are done for me by stylist.
What inspires you dress sense?
My look is fun. It is not too serious, but it’s serious enough to get compliments. My look is edgy, unpredictable, mad and funky. And what inspires it? Nothing really. I am just myself. I am a first class version of myself and not a second version of anybody. I don’t care when people say oh you are dressing like Charly Boy, you are acting like Lady Gaga. For crying out loud, I started dressing before Lady Gaga started singing. I started building this identity in the year 2000, so I have been in the industry for quite a while and if I could start out and still be relevant till this point, it means that I’m doing something right.
What advice do you have for people who see you as a role model?
A role model, what have I done? But you know I get a lot of that. A lot of people come to me and tell me I love what you are doing, I want to roll with you, I want to carry your bag and all that. And I’m like, it is not like I don’t have personal assistant, you know. I do everything myself, I answer my phone call myself, except I am doing an interview like now and someone answers for me. Celebrities would say I can’t be too accessible or too available. But I think that’s crap. I mean, this is Nigeria, and we are one. If it’s Hollywood, you can follow protocols and all that. So, I would always tell people to choose a job that they love and you would never have to work a day for the rest of your life. They are just paying me to live my life. Why? This is because I have listened to learn, and learned to listen and like I said earlier, always be the first version of yourself and not the second version of anybody else because if you do, you would get bored. You run out of ideas.