Ademola Olonilua and Eric
Dumo
Up and coming artiste, Ojay
Wright, is the son of popular Nigerian actress, Bukky Wright. In this interview
with Saturday Beats, the young lad talks
about his career, love life and
relationship with his famous mother
How would you describe
your genre of music?
I don’t really have a specific
genre of music but if I am to classify my kind of sound, I would call it
afro-pop which is more or less the new school sound that we have today.
What does your new song,
Kritical265, mean?
To be honest, the number, 265,
has nothing to do with the title of the song. It so happens that when the
person that produced the song wanted to save it on his system, he just included
the number 265 after Kritical and I liked how it looked, so I decided to title
the song, Kritical 265, just the way it was saved on the producer’s system.
You started out as an
R‘n’B singer, why did you switch to singing high tempo commercial songs?
It is true but these days,
everybody is saying that it is the ‘streets’ that fetch the money; so we had to
do a club song for the street. That is what the public wants. I can make such
songs but it is just not my style. I am someone who loves to get out of my
comfort zone and that is why I made a song that people can dance to. However,
when it comes to making music, you have to be able to diversify. I remember
about 10 years ago when it was mostly foreign songs that were played on the
radio and in clubs. But today, things have changed. Nigerians now demand for
songs that they can relate to. Nobody wants foreign music anymore. The market
basically pressured me into delivering a ‘club’ song to Nigerians.
So what is happening to
your career as an R‘n’B singer?
I already have some songs in
that genre but everything is a process and everything takes time. For instance,
my next song is very different from Kritical265. It tilts towards
R‘n’B.
Why do you sound like
Davido?
Personally, if you ask me, a lot
of songs produced in Nigeria are all similar and they sound alike. Everybody is
trying to make the same up tempo beat with the same type of ‘street’ lyrics. If
you listen to some of the songs being produced today, you will notice that some
of the lyrics are being recycled. So, if they say I sound like Davido, I am not
bothered. Inasmuch as we are all making the same type of music and everybody is
using the same type of beat, I think in some months’ time, we would be able to
differentiate my sound from other artistes’. I am working very hard to stay in
this industry and as the son of Bukky Wright; I can confidently say that I am
here to change the game.
What school did you
attend?
I went to Rutgers University,
New Jersey, America, and I studied Biological Sciences and I graduated in 2014.
You keep mentioning your
mother’s name in your music, how about your father?
My father is very supportive of
my career. Initially, he did not know what I was doing till he read it in the
papers. He called me shortly to ask what I was doing and said that he heard
that I was screaming my mother’s name in my songs. At first, he was not
supportive because he was offended that I did not inform him before I decided
to make music a career. But he is fully in support of my career now. Also, we
had some personal issues we were sorting out at the time and because of that I
didn’t want to involve him initially. But right now, he is trying to help the
brand grow. I don’t think he is really bothered about the fact that I call my
mother’s name in my songs. The reality is that she is my mother and he should
be happy for me.
But normally children of
the rich and famous hardly leverage on their parents’ name in this industry…
I am deliberately leveraging on
my mother’s name. Initially I did not want to but things are getting really
tough in the music industry especially since the new guys like Wizkid and
Davido came into the picture. It is really tough for you to ‘blow’ nowadays.
When I started out, I avoided using my mother’s name and I did not want to have
anything to do with her when it came to my music. But when I came into the
country last year, I had several meetings with public relations executives and
we realised that the best thing to do is to use what you have to get what you
want. When everybody finally pays attention to me, I can show my fans the
reason I am into music. I am not really bothered that I leverage on my mother’s
name because I tried things the other way and it did not get me anywhere.
You are signed on to your
mother’s record label and you are also fond of mentioning her name in your
songs. Don’t you think people would see you as a ‘mummy’s boy’?
To be honest, I don’t care. I
really don’t care if people see me as ‘mummy’s boy’ because I want to make
music and I think people should pay more attention to my music rather than my
relationship with my mother.
But if you are perceived
as a ‘mummy’s boy’ and you sing songs for the ‘streets’, don’t you think there
would be a conflict of character when your fans think about your brand?
Don’t get me wrong, I am not a
street boy but I am making a record for the street. These are two different
things. If you want to perceive me as a street guy, that would be a wrong
notion; but if you perceive me as a ‘mummy’s boy’ making music for the street,
then that is a much better description. I am not a street guy so people should
not get things confused.
If you were not a
musician, what would you have become in life?
If I was not singing I would
have been in medical school right now. I was supposed to be there in September,
2014 but music brought me back home and we made a collective decision that it
is time to focus on the music. I have two degrees now and I am not rushing to
get another one because I am still very young. I am just 22 years old. However,
you never know what the future holds.
Have you cancelled your
dreams of becoming a doctor?
No, I have not. That is why I
said that you never know what the future holds but for now, my focus is on the
music.
Are you in a
relationship?
No I am single. I have female
friends but none of them is my girlfriend.
If you are given a chance
to date a Nigerian celebrity, who would it be?
Nobody, I am not attracted to
anyone of them.
When it comes to women,
what is your ‘spec’?
I like ‘thick women’ with big
butt. I would say that Yemi Alade is alright.
Have you ever had sex?
Yes, I have.
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