Canada-based Nigerian star Islamic singer, Alhaji Qamardeen Yusuf Odunlami otherwise known by his stage name, Ayeloyun in this interview spoke to ADEMOLA ‘FORTUNE’ FOLORUNSHO about his dream at childhood, the sweet and challenging moments of life and the musical career that catapulted him to prominence and spotlight. Excerpts…
At what point in life did you decide that music would be your career?
It was never my idea that music would be my future career. It happened that when I was so young, I attended a function with one of my brothers and I was just singing the contemporary songs that we were listening to at home. So, at the occasion, they just handed me the microphone to perform. From then we started doing music during Laelat L Quadri in the month of Ramadan. I did that song at that occasion and my brother, Najeem said ‘wow it looks like you’re good at singing’. I was just doing it like play, not that I meant to take it as a profession. But to my surprise, people started inviting me to perform at their functions. When I recorded my first album and I saw how it was accepted, I realized that I had a future in music.
Tell us the challenges you faced becoming a star when you had decided to make music a profession.
Honestly, it’s quite challenging, especially the genre I’m in; Islamic music. Doing Islamic music you have to be learned; a lot of things you have to understand about Islam’s standards. Also, critics would tell you oh you’re not supposed to do this and that. But the fact that I’m versed in Arabic and I have knowledge about Islam helps me a lot. To come this far, it took dedication and commitment. While some of us do it for money I don’t do music for money. I do it to propagate Islam and promote ethical conduct in society.
Do you have a role model or mentor in the music industry, not just the Islamic genre?
I listen to all kinds of music that make sense and I stand to gain from it. I listen to Hip-Hop, Yoruba folk songs, foreign music, even jazz music. I also listen to podcasts and different kinds of radio and television programmes that have something I can gain from. I listen to them, write things down and put them into my music. So, everybody is my role model including movie actors, even you, the interviewer.
How many music albums have you done so far and which of them gave you name and money?
I have lost count of the number of albums I have recorded. But it’s more than 20. The one that brought me to the limelight was ‘Ayeloyun’. it wasn’t all over Nigeria when I did it, but in my neighbourhood, Agege, it made me very popular. The album sold out on the day we launched it. But the album that gave me national recognition was ‘Baba Iyawo’, it gave me both the name and everything and is still selling. I have other popular albums too after Baba Iyawo. I have ‘Asiri Ewa’, I have ‘Arojinle’ and a whole lot of others.
Do you share the notion that singing does not conform to standards in Islam?
In the Holy Qur’an, Allah dedicated a whole chapter to singers (Surah Shuara). Although there are lots of excuses by some of the scholars, there was never a unified argument that concludes that singing is un-Islamic. What the argument concludes on is that some of the singers don’t practise what they preach in their songs and many of them are being followed by hooligans. Does that say one must not sing? Allah is not a confused being. If Allah doesn’t want us to sing, He will say it in clean and clear terms just as He says it about fornication and gambling. Allah only asks us to be pious with our music and that’s what I have been doing with mine.
Did you have a moment of temptation as a young, handsome and famous singer?
You don’t have to be a singer to face temptation by women or the opposite sex. Once you’re relevant and people like you it will come. But I thank Allah I was not overwhelmed by it.
How would you advise younger musicians who look up to you and want to be as successful?
They should not do music for the money or fame but for the love and to contribute to society. A large number of singers today do it for money and fame and when they don’t get any of these they go to any length to drag it.
Why did you relocate from Nigeria to Canada?
I relocated to Canada at the time I was making a lot of money. I didn’t relocate for greener pastures. I relocated because of my children. When I looked at them I decided that I wanted them to have a bright future. That’s why I relocated abroad.
Do you still sing abroad and does Islamic music sell there?
Yes, I still sing and I make more money than I was making in Nigeria and it is less stressful here. You work a little and make huge money. Since January 2024, I have travelled around America to perform.
Do you have any new projects coming from you?
I have a very big project coming up, both musical audio and musical visual. It’s going to be a big success. I am going to be in Nigeria to do some parts of the recording. I don’t just want to be sending the voices to Nigeria, I want to come home and do things live.
Tell us about your wife and kids.
My wife is the best woman anyone could wish for in life. She is very supportive. She said yes when a host of people I know said no. She’s always there. She’s virtuous and she’s the best thing that has ever happened to me.
