Why my music is unique – Waje

Weekend Magazine: How would you describe Waje? Waje Iruobe: Waje is an industrious young lady who is very passionate about music. She hails from Benin and is the first of five children. She is described as the queen of R&B and has released singles that have climbed chats all over Nigeria and Africa. You were […]

Weekend Magazine: How would you describe Waje?

Waje Iruobe: Waje is an industrious young lady who is very passionate about music. She hails from Benin and is the first of five children. She is described as the queen of R&B and has released singles that have climbed chats all over Nigeria and Africa.

You were recently nominated for the Channel O music award category for the  Most Gifted Female Video. How did this make you feel?

I was very excited and full of thanks to God and to all my fans out there. It means my work is recognised all over the continent. I still get goose pimples sometimes when I think about it.

Did you think you’ll win the award?

I think I deserved the award and I strongly believed that I would win it. We are all winners my dear, you too.

Did you imagine you would have arrived thus far this soon?

Honestly, nobody can precisely predict how long it would take to become successful, but I can say that yes I knew I would be here by this time, because it has been a long time coming and I believed in God to see me through it all.

How long have you been in music and how did it start for you?

I have been singing for as long as I can remember, but I got into the industry professionally in 2007. I started out singing with the choir at a very tender age and became the lead singer in church in no time. I was also on scholarship because of my vocal abilities. I can say that I was born with the singing ability.

Being relatively new in the industry which could be described as predominantly male dominated, what kind of challenges do you encounter and how do you surmount them?

(Laughter) Well, it is true that it’s a male dominated industry, but we females are not doing badly at all. Aside the fact that people are not taking us seriously, sometimes, I guess we face the same hustle and struggle the people face too. So for me more work is the motto. Hard work is what eventually pays not the harder gender.

Who or what has been your greatest motivation to carry on?

My greatest motivation is my drive to make a mark so that when it’s time come I would have inspired a lot of people enough to be successful. I pray to God to bless me so that I can bless others.

Could tell us about the song ‘One Naira’?

Let me say it here that One naira is MI’s song and he featured me in it, but a lot of people think the song is mine, because of the emotions and passion with which the song was delivered.

It is little wonder that people think we are dating. It is because we made it sound believable in that song. ‘One naira’ is a song that constantly reminds people that money is not the most important ingredient in a relationship even if it is necessary.

What were your aspirations as a child?

Well it changed a lot as the years went by. Initially it was to become a geologist, then a doctor, then an economist. As long as I heard people talk about it or heard it being discussed in a movie, if it tickled my fancy enough, it would become my new career fantasy. But in all of these, music has always been my first and only love. Honestly, I will not trade it for anything else.

Considering where you are now, would you say you have fulfilled your life’s goals or at least on the path to doing so?

Fulfilled the goals? No, not yet. I have not even dropped my debut album. I never collect my Grammy. But I am definitely on the path to achieving those goals. My best is still ahead. This is only the beginning of greater things to come.

What were your anxieties about the music industry before you became a part of it?

Bringing out the right materials, you have to make sure your fans have your ears not the other way around so you bring stuff that they can connect to. I call it relevance.

Now that you are in it, what makes you tick?

My ingredient is what makes me tick and I don’t think I want to disclose what that ingredient is. Just expect more from me.

On a more serious note, the love I get from my fans all over the world is amazing. It causes me to shiver a lot of times all the way and I totally love and appreciate them for the love. The fact that I have these many people looking up to me for something good is more than enough reason to deliver.

What other awards and recognitions have you received?

I recently won the City People Awards for the best R&B and also won the award for the best R&B/POP Artiste at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards which took place in New York.

How would you describe your music and what inspires your lyrics for them?

My music is R&B, but I have successfully infused a lot of other genres into it to get the sound that I have now. You will discover a whole lot more of this uniqueness from my debut album W.A.J.E. The lyrics of my songs are inspired by a lot of things from friends or stories I have heard.

Did you have objections from your parents and family when you decided to go into music?

Not at all. My mum told me that from the tender age of three I would carry my father’s screw driver around the house as a microphone and also tie my head with her scarf and I would sing and dance all day. So when I decided to go into music professionally, they were not surprised and they gave me their full support.

Finally I will say that music is a strong tool to make someone happy or sad and it feels good to have that power but I will love to use mine wisely.