Music is pretty much my life now – Skales

Skales, born John Raoul Njeng-Njeng, is a fast-rising Nigerian artiste. Daily Trust spoke to him about his career, how important music is to him, and much more. Excerpts: Weekend Magazine: When did your passion for music manifest and you realised you wanted to be a musician? Skales: It started a long time ago in Kaduna. […]

Skales, born John Raoul Njeng-Njeng, is a fast-rising Nigerian artiste. Daily Trust spoke to him about his career, how important music is to him, and much more. Excerpts:

Weekend Magazine: When did your passion for music manifest and you realised you wanted to be a musician?
Skales: It started a long time ago in Kaduna. My mum used to have a store where she sold CDs and cassettes, mostly gospel music. Based on the fact that I was surrounded by so much of it, that influenced me to fall in love with music and develop a passion for writing songs. I also really wanted to make a career of it, then I won the Zain True Search in Kaduna in 2009. I won the northern championship, and that was how my journey began.
Music is pretty much my life right now. So much so that many people even forget my real name and address me as Skales. 
WM: You’re also a talented songwriter. How many have you written so far?
Skales: I have lost count. They’re many. But I dropped my debut album last year and I’m also gearing up for a follow-up later this year. But I have unreleased material, upwards of 300 songs. 
WM: For your upcoming sophomore album, what new ideas are you exploring?
Skales: I’m looking at the whole thing from different angles. By now, everyone knows my grass-to-grace story. But I’m about to tell you that when you stand firm in whatever you are doing and you are strong about it, you will achieve your dreams.
WM: Where do you get inspiration from?
Skales: Life, generally. And everything I go through, everything I see, what I hear from people around, how I relate with my friends, and places I go to, all that I incorporate into my songs.
WM: Your parents are from Edo State but you were born and bred in Kaduna. What was your childhood like? 
Skales: Growing up was pretty much bittersweet, as I was an only child raised by a single parent. My father left us when I was about eight, so my mother was sort of both my parents rolled in one. She’s a superwoman, really.
WM: How did your mother feel when she found out you wanted to do music as a career? 
Skales: Honestly, it wasn’t an issue for her. But she said to me that I should just make sure I get my degree, which I already have now, in Business Administration. As long as I went to school and finished well, whatever I wanted to do in life was fine by her and she prayed for me that I would be successful by God’s grace.
WM: Which artistes, local or international, do you admire most and would love to work with?
Skales: There are a lot of artistes; Kanye West, Chris Brown, Drake, and our own Don Jazzy, as well. Drake is one of the smartest musicians in the world right now and I love his kind of music and I also listen to his music a lot.
For Nigerian artistes, right now everybody is working pretty hard and I can work with any of them. But if there is someone I would really, really want to work with, that would be Don Jazzy.
WM: Why Don Jazzy?
Skales: Because I feel he is one of those musicians that have had a very long, evergreen career. He has been singing ever since when I was a youngster, and up till now. And he’s still at the very top of the game. 
WM: What has been your most heartwarming memory so far, music-wise?
Skales: That would have to be when I went abroad and heard my music being played on radio stations, without me reaching out to anybody or sending my music to them. The last time I was in New York city and I heard my song ‘Shake Body’ playing on radio, I was shocked and it’s funny how some American celebrities do videos and dance to my music and they don’t even know me one-on-one.
WM: If you were not into music, what would you be doing?
Skales: I probably would have been self-employed, an entrepreneur, or I would be working in the banking industry, as that is my field.
WM: How would you describe your music?
Skales: I do rap once in a while, but I have been more on the Afro-Beat than ever. I just make music that makes people happy, that’s all. I recently dropped a new single and it is called ‘I Want You’ and the video is also out, also on YouTube.