Lil Zardy was interviewed earlier today by Naija Times and in this interview he talks about his Challenges as an upcoming artist and what inspired him most. Read Excerpts after the cut...
May we meet you
please?
My name is Okafor Ikenwa Mike, A Lagos base music Artist, an
Indigene of Imo State, undergraduate and a proud Nigerian Citizen.
That's cool being a
Proud Nigerian Citizen, Talking about your music career, as a child, when you
where growing up, what inspired you to be a musician and what was your parents'
reaction?
Um, when I was a kid, I listen to music a lot and I enjoy
making people dance and I also love making people happy.
Talking about my parents reactions, actually my late father
love music also but he loves gospel music and still he supported me in a way
that he even wanted me to join a live band then, My mum in the other hand initially
wasn't in support of it but I can tell
you now she's my number one fan.
When do you write
your first song?
I wrote my first song when I was in Primary 4, back then in
the School, I used to be a chorister in my church, so one day, I was listening
to a song all of a sudden I was inspired and I wrote a song I called 'WAKE up
and Dance' I used to have a friend, Linda, I decided to sing the song to her
and see what she'd say about it and she probably love the song and I felt happy
even more when she was dancing while I'm singing.
When do you recorded
your first song?
I recorded my first song 'In The Street' in 2012, in Port
Harcourt with Smart V, Produced by Spiff hi
How do you meet Smart
V?
I met Smart V at the place where I was learning Graphics in
Port Harcourt, back then I used to watch Him burn His CDs in the office so one
day I told him that I'm an upcoming Artist and I can Sing and I can Rap, He
laughed and promised to take me to Their Studio 'Ekuru Records' so that he will
listen to me and see what I can do.
When we got to the Studio, I met other Guyz like Spiff Hi
and Swarzy, I rapped for them and they loved it so Smart V promised to feature
me in his latest single due to drop, that was how we recorded the song.
I was even about to
ask you that question before you mention it, are you also a rapper?
No t really, The beat he gave to me is a rap beat, Smart V
is a singer and he needed a rapper to do the song with that was why I rapped in
that song and I believed as a talented musician you'd be able to switch lines
when necessary.
How did you feel when
you recorded that song?
The feeling was amazing, when I listened to that song I was
Like 'WOW! was that me singing? it's awesome mehn, it's awesome!
Now that you've been
releasing couple of singles and people where loving it, are there any record
label approaching you or you are already signed to one?
Nah, I'm not signed yet and I'm hoping that I will soon be
signed to one.
When you where growing
up, who are the Artists that inspires you?
Um, I listened to so much of Plantation Boyz, westlife, R
Kelly and Lil Wayne and then when Plantation boyz splits up, I favorited 2Baba.
Are there any
Challenges you are facing as an upcoming Artist?
Yea Sure, Every artist both big and small have a challenges depending on your level and I'm no exception. You know as an upcoming artist,
my first challenge is Money and contacts and people who are really willing to
help, some will pretend to help but all they want from you is the little money
that you've suffered to get and this also happens to most of our young and upcoming
Artist to?
What have you been up
to after the Shiwa single that got everybody dancing?
Ok, after I released Shiwa, I've been planning on shooting a
video for one of my songs cos people where actually desperate to see my video
and I've decided to go the extra mile to put up one and I'm currently working
on it.
We learnt that
yesterday was you birthday, Happy birthday to you by the way, is there any new
thing for your Fans to look out for like a birthday gift to them?
Oh Yea, I'm giving them a brand new single titled Rosey as my
birthday gift to them and hopefully it's gonna be ready before next weekend and
after that I'm dropping another one with Dinma, watch out for something hot and
kush
