Read the full interview Below...
Your first love was actually Fine and Applied Arts even before you became popular as a musician, when was the last time you painted?
That was about 25 years ago. I tried to go back to painting about 22 years ago but I was so rusty, it was so upsetting so I stopped. When music came, I pushed that aspect of me aside.
When are you going to release your album?
If I don’t feel anything, I don’t express it. I have to be able to give something that would give people cause to smile and reminisce. I am not against the sounds that are produced now but I do not really feel them. I support those who like to infuse the old sounds with the new; that is what I am working on. I have some friends who are willing to do some songs with me.
Not many people know that you were a member of Alex O’s band…
I was a member of his band and that was in 1990. I was his background vocal singer. Sammie Okposo was the keyboardist and there were also others and we were doing good music, the band was called the Caution Band.
What kind of child were you while growing up?
I was a very notorious child, the kind of girl that would climb trees and would never stay in a place. I was too restless to settle down and I was always referred to as a flighty person. Even when we rehearsed, I was always everywhere, I never stayed in a place; one minute the director was looking for me the next minute, it would be the choreographer. It was fun for me.
With your petite stature, how do you get the energy to do all these things?
It is inborn, something I am blessed with. I cannot explain it; it is only God that can explain that.
Has there ever been a time in your life when you weren’t restless?
That is the part of me people do not know. I am actually a very quiet person. I am a recluse and this would be a shock to so many people.
What influences your fashion and style?
Anything and everything influence my fashion and style. It could be Victorian, Western, Nigerian, anything. It has to catch my fancy and I have to feel good about it. When it comes to my fashion, I think local but act global; I could do a Ghana weave but the style that I would make with it would look western. That is thinking local but acting global.
Why do you like African inspired clothes?
It is because the ball rooms are always cold when we go for events, especially for dinners. The clothes are very thick and strong. I also wear western attire; so I would say I am all round when it comes to fashion. I like wearing soft lycra and chiffon kind of fabrics. For me, Ankara is quite heavy and I have to use it with sense.
What would you never be caught wearing?
I wear anything. I love wearing mini-skirt, I don’t care and I don’t believe there should be any shame in wearing it. For leggings, you have to wear it very well and know your body type to wear it. I am just particular about certain things like colours. I am into pastel and sensual colours. For instance, red needs to be toned down with a touch of baby pink to give it a cooler hue. I can’t wear red like that because it is harsh.
For someone that likes mini-skirts, are you not conscious of the scar on your leg?
For about five years after I had the accident, I moved my slit from the left side of my leg to the right because of the consciousness. Eventually I did not care and interestingly people do not notice and I am grateful.
What are the good, bad and ugly sides of having a petite stature like yours?
There is none. The only thing I notice is that I am getting fuller than I have ever been in my entire life. Aside from dancing, I don’t do any kind of exercise. I used to weigh 44 kilograms all my life but now I weigh 60 kilograms and that is a lot for the petite stature people see. My mind is telling me that I need help and this is too much weight. I am not against people that are on the big side, it is just that it is something I am not comfortable with. Now I have a fuller bum, boobs and thighs. There is a particular shape we African women have. There is a way the fat stays in some women and it looks nice on them because it spreads to the right areas, the hips are nice to see and the contours are smooth. As a proper African woman that I am, I get thick and full, I have to be very careful so that I do not go out of shape and become obese. Some people find such stature exhilarating but I don’t.
Have you always loved your stature?
Maybe silently because then I used to dance and I always prayed to be in shape. I also never bothered myself about being fat regardless of what I ate. I have always been in love with my stature.
It is often said that women who are not tall love high heel shoes, are you one of them?
Yes, I love shoes with high heels but since the accident I had, I always have platforms in front of my high heel shoes. No matter how high the shoe is, I must have platform in front of it to balance the leg.
You have tribal marks on your face…
I don’t think they are tribal marks; my grandparents believed in superstitions. The mark is one of those that they believed would chase evil away from a child, I don’t think it was for tribal reasons.
Are you displeased with them for putting marks on your face?
I don’t know, I have not thought about it much. I dismiss a lot of issues; I dismiss them so that I don’t get myself overly worried about things I cannot change.
Why is it that you like wearing sexy clothes?
A lot of clothes that I have are very sexy and sensual with slits. I like wearing them because women have grace, charm and poise. Especially someone like me who is involved in stage play, it has given me grace and finesse and this has become a part of me. It has taught me how to flaunt my feminine charms.
Is it correct to say that your career has influenced your fashion sense?
Yes, it has influenced my fashion sense a lot. Before I go out, I picture the drama, what I wear and the effect it has on people. I don’t intend to stop traffic but I just do that. I don’t intend to cause commotion but it just happens because by the time I envision the picture, I can see the drama and the reactions.
When you stop traffic and cause commotion with your fashion, how do you feel?
I am indifferent. I feel nothing because the first contender is me. If I don’t feel good about anything, then I don’t start it. Most importantly, never start something you cannot finish. God wants us to be perfect, so I aspire to be that. I try to make sure that I look my best.
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