Gloria Ibru who is set to release her first ever album after 28 years ove doing live band spoke with Morakinyo Olugbiji recently in Lagos. Gloria released the first song and video titled “Sugar Mama” from the body of work which will be titled “I Am Gloria Ibru” when it is released in March this year. Gloria, one of the fun-loving daughters of popular business guru, Olorogun Michael Ibru, is not your everyday musician
What informed your choice of music?
My music is purely African sound. My music is a mixture of different African sounds. I do music that portrays our identity as Africans. Afrobeat, Juju, High-life and so on. I am doing music that will be relevant in 30 years. I don’t want to do music that is forgotten in six months, which is why I am spending so much time and so much money doing the music. And believe me, the money will come back.
Your new song is titled “Sugar Mama”, with the derogatory connotation of the phrase and the concept of the video, some people may want to ask, is Gloria Ibru encouraging young men to go for Sugar Mummies?
The concept of Sugar Mama video was inspired by my sister, Elvina Ibru. My life has always been one that I had to see and make sure everybody is happy. I hate to pass by and see somebody sad. I will definitely ask : “Is everything okay?”. In Sugar Mama I am in my bar and a young man walks in looking sad. I walk up to him, asked him what was wrong, he joined us when the music started playing and became happy once again. The video is not about sex ,it’s not about romance, it’s just about making one person happy and carrying on with life which describes my personality.
What are the challenges you faced in producing this song?
The challenges are too much. I’m sure that if you ask my producer and video Director, both of them will tell you their own side of the story. For me, the challenges are getting together the needed equipments, because the whole album is played live, it’s not simulated music. The instruments are played live, we do not have the equipment in Nigeria to do them at once. So the instruments record one after the other, it takes time and money. Now, what we need to do is to encourage Nigerians that love music to come in and invest in proper studios. It will be cheaper for younger people to do music live if we have more studios. The reason young artistes do simulated music is because it’s so expensive. This is why we are not getting real music out of Nigeria.
What’s your take on the younger generation of artistes who are stuck in dishing out fast music on the computer instead of doing it live?
I won’t blame these artistes because it’s not easy. Most of them have to resort to what you describe as fast music because they can’t afford the needed resources to do live music. Until the needed resources and facilities are available, we can’t blame them for just entering the studio and cook a beat on their computer. So that’s why you are not getting enough real music in Nigeria.
Your style of music and the production is not the everyday type, and you say that you’ll get your money back, how will you recoup the investment?
I’ll definitely recoup it. It’s. The same. Way people didnot believe in Asa, but now Asa is one of the most celebrated singers not only in Africa but all over the world. Yes, I want Nigerians to appreciate my music and love it but at the same time I want the rest of the world to value and listen to it. So that’s why I chose to do real music. And I promise you that there are people in Nigeria that will appreciate this music I’m doing.
How are you prepared for the challenges that might rear its head in event of resistance that your music might meet by some sections of the public?
I don’t anticipate challenges or any form of negativity. I always think ahead! And stay optimistic and positive. I think people need to understand this, the brand Gloria Ibru is in its own class. I don’t know how many events you have been to, but there are some topnotched event Asa performs regularly that you don’t hear them make a noise about. There are many people who are making good music and at the same time making good plenty money but they are not shouting about it like those of the D’banj and Psquare of this world. I’m not here to make music like your Davido, Wizkid, Wande Coal and so on. The way likes of Auntie Onyeka onwenu do her music and she is like no other, is the same way Gloria Ibru does hers.
What inspires you to do music?
I’ve been doing music all my life. When I’m holding the mic I’m in a world of my own. Whenever I’m singing, nothing else matters. There has always been music in my house. My mum love music, she herself was in the choir. There have always been music in our house. There has always been music around me. We play live music in our house.
I heard you and your siblings were quite rebellious from the age of five and therefore your parents had to enrol you in a music school to get you guys busy?
We were not rebellious! My mum just said that, you know what? Instead of staying at home doing nothing go to church, join the choir. Just occupy yourself with music. We were not rebellious.
You’ve over the years with your siblings been the favourite subject of headlines of gossip and society writers, how do you cope?
It’s not easy. The media will always base their stories on prominence and in so doing intrude into people’s privacy but it’s up to you not to let it affect you negatively.
So how do you cope with the scandalous aspects of the media coverage on you and your siblings?
I’ve never been bothered about anything the media write or say about me. It’s good that I’m important enough for them to focus on me. I’m very positive about life and don’t allow external negativity to get into my life. So whatever anybody says is entirely their own business.
I also noticed that you’ve metamorphose in look over the year, what would you say about this?
What I would say inn my usual slang is ‘everything, ahead, ahead!’ Change is constant in life.
Finally, you are from a family of entrepreneurs, has your dad ever found it odd that you chose the art?
Nope! Music itself is business. I’m making money from my music. I have employees, my band member. We have a management. We are an organization. Everything is fine. My family is fully in support of this. As you can see, my brother Oscar is here to support me. Same with my sisters Elvina and Obukome.
