Jaywon who left his former label, Kennis Music to establish his new movement, Next World Music has continued to dish out great songs for his core fans. In this interview with OLAITAN MATTI, the Kogi born singer bared his mind on his journey since he left Kenny Ogungbe and how he has been able to survive amidst controversies. He also talked about his new single, “Back To Sender”, and how he wishes to be an ambassador in his home state, Kogi, among many others. Enjoy…
Despite the encounters you had in 2014 with Kennis Music, you are still shinning in 2015, what is your reaction?
It’s been a lot of work and if there is anything I learnt from Kennis Music, it’s trying to do things yourself without waiting for anybody, to always get up and work. I learnt that from Baba Keke, people ask me about Next world music, which has always been my dream. When I started, I know it’s going to be a tough work, so I don’t have to relax. I have faced a lot of challenges and got a lot of support from people that really believed in me. Right now, it’s all about doing things myself with my team now. God has really been the secret, God has been my executive producer and I just have to follow God and my dream.
About the European tour you just concluded?
The tour was huge and successful, I started the tour from USA, performing at the NEA Award in New York and later, I moved to Europe and performed in Spain, Madrid, Malaga, France, in Modina, Italy, Stugart in Germany and a whole lot of performances. It was awesome moving around the world and representing Nigeria and I can tell you that Nigeria Music is doing great abroad, Afrobeat particularly and I will go back next year to do that again. Big Thanks to Almighty God and my team, Next World Music for making this possible.
Tell us about Next World Music
The whole idea for Next World Music is to support younger people because Kennis Music believed and supported people like us, and that has been my dream, trying to see how to help others. It’s more of a movement than a record label, it’s a group of young people that are ready to support other people to grow and it’s been a great Movement so far.
How will you describe your kind of music?
I make my music in a diverse way, for a while now, I have been on the highlife- inspirational song, but that’s me. Sometimes, my mood brings out inspirational and prayerful songs which have really made a lot of impact in the fans I have now. Recently, I have been followed by elder people who are exposed to our new contemporary HipHop in Nigeria. I have been doing slow and inspirational highlife but right now, I am about to do some party songs which will still pass a lot of message and still be inspirational. I am doing some new tunes soon.
Tell us about your new single “Back To Sender”?
That’s my new song I featured Vector, I thank Clearance Peters, he shot the video. I was in America when the video was released by my team in Nigeria and was premiered world-wide on Trace Urban Tv in Paris and the response has been positive and it has been gaining a lot of attention.
I performed the song alongside fuji artiste, Saheed Oshupa at a show few days ago and he tried to back me up on the song “Back2Sender” on stage, and the response was very positive. The whole concept behind the video was to celebrate our veterans in the entertainment industry, because these people created this platform we are enjoying right now. In the video, we put pictures of King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, Osadebe and all of our old timers and they are still doing well in what they do now. We have Obesere in the video, Pasuma, Yomi Fash Lanso and a whole lot of indigenous celebrities. You should see the video. “Back2Sender”.
Have you ever considered taking up acting after your artistic display in your video, “Back2Sender”?
Yes, I have been getting some scripts but I am quite busy recording and touring Western world now.
If any record label in Nigeria wants to sign you, will you consider it?
Yes, but if any label wants to sign me, it has to be in partnership with my movement, Next Word Music, and we are very open to work with any label that wishes to affiliate with us.
What is spectacular about the indigenous genre of music you do?
I believe the native music is deep, it’s not like every other contemporary song you can just get into the studio and record. It requires a whole lot of deep writings and rhyme. So for me, putting God first in anything you do, will bring success and greatness to you.
Who do you see as your contemporary now?
I don’t have issues with anyone, I just want to be Jaywon. One of the greatest records released last year was “This Year” and I am putting out more records. I am grateful to God and I don’t have to see anybody as a competitor or anything, we have artistes like Sean Tizzle, Dammy Krane and a lot of them trying to copy the same song like “This Year” but they just tried. I love doing what will make my people proud and I will keep dishing out evergreen songs by God’s Grace. So we are cool.
What inspires your kind of music?
The things around me, the things I see every day, the experiences people share with me and personal things that happen to me. Most times, I don’t have to go far before I release a record because I am always with my people.
Tell us about the song for the Kogi people you just did with YQ
The song is titled “Okun”, which is to celebrate my people, people from Kogi State, and people have been asking me where I am really from, and because my tribe is a minority one in Kogi that is not really heard, so we need to represent and celebrate them. I am part of them and we need to celebrate our people not just going abroad and performing show. All we need to do while we still live on this earth is to make people feel important and they would never forget. So that’s my root. And people like Senator Smart Adeyemi and others have been very supportive from that side, and we hope to see more people that will help and support entertainment in other parts of the country.
Are you in a relationship?
(Laugh) I am very single right now but I hope to marry “This Year, This Year, This Year “.
