Asa on New Dawn

Wednesday 9 January 2008

It’s a new year, last year was a wonderful year for New Dawn and this year promises to be even more exciting.

To start the year, the very first edition of the live class with the inimitable Asa, also on the show were her manager Janet and Producer Cobhams Asuquo. The live class was filled with Asa fans grinning from ear to ear eager to ask questions and listen to this inspirational young woman who music they all know by heart and love.

Over the past six years Nigerian Music has grown to unfathomable heights and is still growing .There are a number of artistes who are doing us proud and one of such artistes is Asa whose real name Bukola Elemide, Asa is a phenomenal young woman whose music is laden with conscious lyrics that make you think, and a distinctive voice. Born in Paris, she later moved to Nigeria with her parents, she had the responsibility of taking care of her siblings, because her parents were always away, Life wasn’t always rosy, there were good times and there were bad times but she explains that passing through all this helped her o adjust to whatever situation she found her self in.

As a child she was very lonely and this was due to the fact that she wasn’t quite understood by a lot of people around her. One thing that got her through the bad times was music, a music lover right from childhood, she’d sing for imaginary crowds, greeting imaginary fans while her siblings looked at her like she was crazy, but it was just the love, the innate love she had for music and performing. Her father had a number of albums which she’d listen to and she feels more in love with music. Growing up she listened to the likes of Lagabja, Fela, and Michael Jackson.

A while back the media was rife with stories about some sort of disagreement she was having with her then record label- Question mark. Funmi decided to hear from the horse’s mouth what the real story was. According to Asa, there were certain things she was asked to do by the record label which didn’t quite sit well with her. Their attempt to “sexify” her left a sour taste in her mouth, she was given dresses to wear and a host of other things were requested of her which she felt would mean she wasn’t being true to herself and so she refused to change who she was just to fit into what they taught she should be, look like and sound like. She wasn’t happy with everything that had transpired during her time with the record label and she decided to terminate her contract with them legally. Of course it didn’t end their because she was threatened, abused, accused of all sorts but with there family and friends by her side she was able to pull through and come out on top. According to the record label they spent 14milliion Naira on her which she vehemently refuted, they also recently came out with their own version of their album, in which she was asked to translate the song ‘Eye Adaba’ into English which was one of the things that made her leave the label, she feels that the most important thing for an artists is he/her roots. She is happy they have released their own version of her album because now she is free.

How she came up with some of the songs on the Album

Jailer               

She explains that the song is so true to the Nigerian system, but it also rings true for everyone who has ever had someone or people in their life who has always brought them down and tried to hinder their progress, exercise their power unduly just in an attempt to frustrate the other person and make their life miserable, an oppressor. Everybody has had a jailer once upon a time and so a lot of people will be able to relate with the song. She worked on the song with the exemplary producer Cobhams.

Fire on the mountain

This was also written by her and Cobhams and it talk about how a lot of issues are usually swept under the ground instead of being dealt with head on and how they usually catch up with us in the end.

Bibanke

This song was about her, her mother and her friend and their experiences in relationships. Its about being left to express yourself when you hurt, cry without being disturbed, letting it all out, so the pain also goes with it.

So beautiful

Lonely in Marseille and living with an old couple, she found herself thinking about her mother and decided to write a song about her.

Her new record label            

Signed with a new record label (Naïve) that allows her to be who she is and express herself in whatever language she feels comfortable with. Although it is not a known record label but they have her best interest at hand and that is all that matters.

Funmi poses the question about how she was able to maintain and not fall by the way side, what kept her focus and going? She explained that a lot of patience was needed, hard work, and you have to be extremely sure it is what you want to do and be ready to be in it for the long haul because it will surely pay off later. Words of encouragement from people that cared about her also motivated her and kept her grounded and not forgetting God.

On her friendship with her Manager and friend Janet

Janet explains that they met at an exhibition in France; she approached Asa because she was interested in her as a photographer and wanted to work with her. She got a little bit of a hostile reception from Asa at first but that didn’t put her off. They became friends and started hanging out and they found out they had a lot in common. She decided to become Asa’s manager and she hasn’t regretted it. She liked the fact that Asa knows who she is and that appealed to her a lot. Though they have their quarrels but they always make up.