Media Spotlight

05 September, 2009 by Jasdeep Kundi

Interview with Shola Ama
Photography by Adeyinka Adepitan, Carli-Art Photography and Beeline Images

It was truly a fantastic line up on Friday 3rd July at Stratford Circus, with major acts such as Shola Ama, Giggs, Ghetts, Grhymey, Ms D, Fola, Sin Crew, Hunt, Kurrupt and The Bradyz. London Stand Up 09 is the only urban honours and awards show developed by young people that pays respect to Kings and Queens of the urban music scene. I expected big performances and wasn't disappointed; it was a very memorable night.

To interview Shola Ama was a fantastic opportunity, I totally love her music and grew up on her songs. When I was younger she was a great inspiration for me to get involved with the music industry and still has a great influence till this day. Listening to her phenomenal performance I definitely felt like I was reliving my childhood again. She is so fresh, rolling with the times and definitely about to make a change to the UK music scene. So take it from me, everyone watch out Shola is back in town.

Jas: So, what is it like being titled a UK urban music legend?

Shola: Well... I don't know about legend?!

Shola stated this with a slight chuckle and I was astounded at her humility, I went on to question her.

Jas: You're a great inspiration to so many. A lot of the younger generation have been inspired by your creativity and wish to follow in your footsteps, so why not?

Shola: Umm... yeah but I still think my legendary moment hasn't happened yet and I still need to carve my moment out.

Jas: What exactly is it you want to do? What would it take for you to reach that legendary moment in your mind?

Shola: I think that its amazing people think that I've been a legend in the 15 years since I first came onto the music scene. After pioneering a few albums, I just needed to take a break. My first album was a huge, huge success. My second album was in a different territory. I want my third album to be as successful as the first one. I want to have a stable music career for the next ten years.

To me, I think Mary J Blige is a legend. She's had album after album of successes. For me, it would be something along those lines. I want to continue making albums and be known for making really good albums. As for being a legend, which is my intention, in this case I think people probably mean it in the sense that when I first started out here in the UK we didn't really have much of a RnB or urban music scene. So I'd be happy and comfortable in people saying that in the RnB scene I'm a pioneer. Yeah, it's really nice.

Jas: What is your involvement with Urban Development?

Shola: Well it was quite a while ago it began. A group of young artist such as Mpho and Giggs were taking a vocal group and they asked me to come in and do a one-off master class for level three group. I came in and did a master class and my students at that time loved it and they were like, we want her to come back. So basically, I came back and took over the course full time and ended up tutoring them every week.

They all went on to do many things and I took on some intensive workshops and have a great bunch of singers and songwriters, which now have been taken over by Natalie Maddix and Sherelle 'Shezar', it's amazing.

For me, doing this it's not teaching, its more like working with people who are already gifted and talented and encouraging them and giving them that confidence to push them to their limits and much more. I love that because it's not about me, it's about sharing my experience to help another artist grow and excel, and that to me is priceless.

Jas: Wow, You're such an asset to Urban Development. Being so dedicated to helping the young artist grow and reach its full potential. What advice and tips would you give an aspiring new artist?

Shola: I'd say continue to write, get your work written and copy written and make sure whoever you working with, you have an agreement before you record any vocals with them of how the splits are going to work before you start the project. This is so that you keep control of anything that you've recorded. Collaborate with people, get a lot of performance experience, even when I perform today, I still feel like its fresh. Do anything you can especially when there's live opportunities like open mic, you should get down and do it. I would say get a manager, get yourself online, sort out your myspace, use all the online platforms; it's the way music works now, it's looking good. Make sure you're an individual and make yourself different from everybody else. It's much better to be unique rather than a copy.

Jas: You touched on the fact that a manager is essential? Why is that?

Shola: It really depends, a lot of managers manufacture artists. If you're a real artist and you know about the music industry, you don't need someone to instruct you how to do things you should have an instinct. You, as an individual should know how to develop yourself first and then if they are interested in you, you can consider it. In your early stages of your career why would you need a manger? It's better to have a manager when you know they can invest in you once you carved out and enhanced your own career further.



Jas: I really love the track 'You Might Need Somebody'. Would you say that you write of most your tracks yourself?

Shola: I didn't write that song, obviously that was a cover, but now I'm very much songwriter when it comes to my music. But, if someone played me a really good song and I really liked it I wouldn't turn it down. My pride is not like that I would do it if I love the song. I love working with different writers and producers and love bouncing off different ideas and people that are creative. Even if it's just the mentoring, its being around creative people, musical individuals and love the atmosphere and seeing them get creative and that gets me excited, it's like a high.

Jas: It's really good having you in the show, you're obviously well known in the music industry as an established artist, it's very special to have you here. What was your experience of working with 3T, your collaborated with them?

Shola: Do you know what, that was so long ago, I was mad about 3T, it's crazy. It was a privilege and honour to work with them. I went touring with them and I met Michael Jackson's mum and dad and brother Tito. Being on tour with them it was amazing experience. It's sad what happened to MJ, we lost a great person and a great music legend, the King of Pop. I still can't believe that happened. He inspired me on so many levels musically, vocally and lyrically. Obviously growing up in the 80's Michael and Madonna inspired me in so many ways, especially MJ being a constant performer.

Jas: You featuring on a song with Giggs, 'A cut above the rest', how did that come about?

Shola: It's a funny story, I went to his show and a couple of the street team were giving out his t-shirts. I took a couple of them with me. I wore it to my show and cut the neck off and took a picture of it at home. I sent him a message with the picture saying, "it's me wearing your t-shirt, I love your music. I really want to work with you." Then he sent me the track, we went to studio and it just happened. I heard what he wrote and I changed my lyrics and wrote some more. It happened really quickly and my little boy is into really him and was in the studio with me as well.

Shola Ama is an amazing artist and she has been a great musical inspiration for me as a well as a journalist but also as an aspiring music artist and singer/songwriter. I really loved the fact she is so creative and honest, a pioneer in music and definitely "A CUT ABOVE THE REST".