Famous
female talking drummer, Aralola Olumuyiwa (Ara), has been around for
over a decade.
In this interview with JOAN OMIONAWELE, she talks about
her career, controversies and other issues. Excerpts
What has Ara been up to lately?
I don’t like
talking about my album anymore because it is long overdue; it’s been
over 20 years of my career and I have not released an album.
Why is it taking you so long?
I’ve recorded a
number of times but I never got to release them. It’s either I’m caught
up with something and I have to be on the move. I am compiling the
songs, and of course, I have an NGO that is called Ara Advocacy for
Sustainable Water Development and Peace in Africa and I’m going to be
attending loads of conferences across the world. I’ll be lending my
voice to issues pertaining to water, because water is a global issue.
Don’t you think your fans are actually willing to hear from you?
They
will hear from me. They should just give me a little more time. I’ll be
going on tour in Asia and I realised that it is high time I had my
album. I would not be great to go on such a large continent without
having a CD pack. Also, this year, my fans are going to see a different
me because I’m rebranding; in the sense that I have carried my long
braids (the longest in the world) for over 15 years.
Why do you want to stop carrying the very long braids?
My
hairline is being affected; I need to restore my hair. So, for now, I
am wearing a lot of wigs and that will definitely affect my costumes
(which are African) but will now become cosmopolitan African.
You once performed on stage with Stevie Wonder. What was the experience like?
It
was a beautiful experience, though that was a long time ago. It was one
of those moments that helped boost my career. It created various
openings for me. He (Stevie Wonder) invited me to Los Angeles and I
recorded songs with him in his studio for a week. I even got to feature
in one of the songs on his album. I learnt quite a lot from him. Stevie
at the heights of his career is still very hardworking. That actually
encouraged and inspired me.
Every female Nigerian musician I’ve talked to believes that
the Nigerian movie industry is very unfair to women. What do you have to
say about this?
Well, I would say it’s unfair because they don’t employ our services enough
Why would you say thatI don’t know how to answer
this question without stepping on anybody’s toes. My genre of music is
quite different, but they need to make use of female artistes more.
Sometimes when you check out a list of artistes for a concert, it’s all
male. It’s either the managers are not doing enough work or something is
wrong.
What has been your most embarrassing moment on stage?
The
one that readily comes to mind did not happen on stage; it was after
the show that I realised that the costume I had on had moved and my
boobs had slipped under. It was after I saw the picture that I realised
what happened.
How do you manage motherhood and the stage?
It’s
been really interesting and it is one experience that I would love to
have over and over again. It’s been easy because I have my mum, siblings
as well as nannies who have been around to help me. Most of the time,
when I was nursing, I had my son with me because I breastfed him for
over three years.
Three years, why?
Nothing.
Of course he is the only one I have for now. I just wanted to spoil
him. I would go to his school during break time everyday for those three
years and his teachers would ask me ‘why are you doing this?’ and I
would tell them ‘I may never have the opportunity to do this for his
younger ones; so, let me do it now.’
You just said motherhood is something you want to do over and
over again, but after your marriage crashed, you said marriage was no
longer on your radar. Do you think you will fall in love again?
Wow!
That’s a huge one from you; but you know, at some point, your heart
will learn to love again. I would want to love again, definitely.
Is there someone in the picture now?
I wouldn’t want to discuss that.
Do you see yourself undergoing cosmetic surgery for any part of your body?
Yes.
What part would that be?
My stomach. After having all my babies, I would not mind going for a tummy tuck
What was your growing up like?
It was beautiful.
My father was a banker for over 30 years, so I had a privileged
background. I was what Olamide would call ‘Omo get inside’, meaning an
‘aje butter’. My father made sure we had everything. My mum was a
contractor.
You once said you had the gift of dreaming , interpreting dreams and seeing visions.
Yes,
sometimes. I don’t even have to sleep to see something. I think it has
to do with my spiritual aspect. I fast a lot. My life off stage is an
entirely different one. I actually attend the Mountain of Fire and
Miracles Ministries and if you can’t pray, you don’t attend MFM. It is a
do-it-yourself church – which has helped me greatly. That is why most
of my songs are moral songs that children and adults can listen to. Of
course I sing love songs because there is love in the Bible.
People say your long braids have a spiritual significance. How true is this?
Only
few people who are close to me know the real me; they know the Ara
brand – who is a fierce, beautiful, sexy lady that can play the talking
drum and sing and dance. People have attached meanings to it (braids).
Some even call me water goddess. Some even say I possess supernatural
powers because of my hair – and I do not! Naturally, people will
interpret things they want to and say they think they understand. I
always refer to Michael Jackson because the Michael Jackson you see on
stage is different from the Michael Jackson you see at home. I am a
natural person. I go to the market, buy things myself, and do regular
things to keep me grounded. Sometimes when people see me, I tell them
this is Lola; Ara is on stage and I am a human being and I need to live
like one. This is why some of my colleagues cannot separate the brand
from the person. It’s up to them to interpret it the way they want. They
don’t know me, but God knows me.
Looking at the song you sang with TuFace, Olo Mi, it was about love. Have you ever had an awkward love experience?
To be honest with you, I’ve even never celebrated a Valentine’s Day, as romantic as I am!
Does it mean love has never been fair to Ara?
I would say a yes to that.
Who is your best African designer and how do you come up with the designs you put on?
Modella has been my designer for years. I have with Zizi, Jimmy King and Regalia.
