Innocent Idibia’s latest album, Ascension, released this year is still fresh in the minds of his many fans and may well stay that way like songs from his other five albums. The award-winning musician who has been known at different times as Tuface, 2face and 2baba is on board Fuji musician King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal KWAM 1’s latest concert tagged ‘K1 Live Unusual’ billed for November 21. One of the most decorated and successful Afro pop artistes in Africa, the singer, songwriter and record producer, in this interview with Reporter, REGINA WHENU, talks about his involvement in the concert and sundry issues.
What are your Sundays like?
My Sundays are peaceful; we pray to God and then we move ahead. Sometimes I go to church; sometimes I just pray in the house.
So which church do you attend?
I do not have any particular church; I attend anyone close to where I am at any point in time.
Do you work on Sundays?
Yeah, sometimes I work on Sundays.
How has marriage impacted your life?
Marriage! Marriage has just made me responsible.
What do you miss about being single?
I do not miss bachelorhood.
What is unusual about the forthcoming concert?
The ‘Unusual’ concert will not be disclosed here today, because if we do, it will not be unusual again; you will be used to it, and it will be usual. Basically, most of the concerts that have been taking place lately, over the last couple of years, have been based on contemporary popular music. So, for a change, after so many years, we are having a Fuji headline concert. That alone is already unusual. The other concerts just carry a name, but it is the same artiste that interchange things – either comedy or musical concert, the same thing. KWAM 1 (King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal 1) does not show himself anyhow, like every time. Do you understand what I am saying? KWAM1 himself is unusual. That is what all this is about.
You have a new album, Ascension. Are you going to be performing tracks from this at the ‘Unusual’?
Definitely, I am going to do a couple of songs in my album.
It seems your new album is not getting the usual attention?
It is actually getting some attention. You know, the ears of Nigerians have been tuned to a particular type of sound. But this my album did not follow that pattern of sound.
Why did you not go with that type of sound?
Basically, that is me. I do not want to follow the bandwagon; I just do my stuff. People who go for my album are those who relax at home and listen, or they play it in the car. It is for the matured minds; those who want to feel music.
Was it the album you were promoting recently at the Mall?
What I went to promote is one of my new albums, Release, Rewind, Select and Update, which is just a compilation of some of my old songs which I remixed, from Grass 2 Grace, Face 2 Face, even the one with Platashun Boiz. So I just re-made some of those songs. ‘Mfana Mbaga’ remix is already out.
There is a rumour in town that you might be back on Kennis Music?
Kennis Music and I are still in a romance. Then it has been 10 years since the release of my first album, Face 2 Face, under Kennis Music. So Kennis Music is doing a 10th anniversary of that album. That album has been re-mastered and is going to be re-issued into the market. That is basically what we are doing right now. Signing based on label. No, but there is a couple of working relationship, contract and paper signing.
Are you going into politics too?
Well, I am already into politics, not in the aspect you are looking at. I am basically into politics because it affects me. I say a lot of things concerning politics. But in terms of contesting for something, no, I do not see myself contesting for even a local government chairmanship seat. I am into music and that is what I will stick to.