Lewd Style of Music Didn’t Start Today – Ara

Celebrity female drummer, Ara, believes that although mainstream music is getting all the deserved attention, the songs usually have a short life span. She stated that “commercial music doesn’t stand the test of time. New music is being churned out almost daily, and people are just waiting for the next new song”.

“However, our style of music is evergreen. You still listen to songs of people such as King Sunny Ade, Fela, Ebenezer Obey, Onyeka Onwenu and others. But we barely have such music now. Nevertheless, that has not sent it into extinction. We only look for new and innovative ways to get into the mainstream. But we don’t lose our originality during the process. My style of music is gangan fusion. It’s the fusion of the talking drum into any genre of music”.

Ara also indicated that lewd style of music didn’t start with this generation of Nigerian artists. She stressed that “It’s what most people want to hear. That’s what in vogue. However, it has been happening from the onset. When you listen to certain artists like Shina Peters, Fela (Yellow Fever, Shakara Oloje), Victor Olaiya (Baby Jowo), among others, you will notice such themes. The only difference is the way it was played. Then the level of censorship was high. I don’t really see anything wrong with it; just a little bit overboard now”.

Read Also: Local Street Artists Set Stage for ‘Indaba 2019’ in Durban

While speaking on her latest project, Ara stated that she has a fantastic project at the moment called ‘I Love My Culture’. She went further on her planned tour. “I will begin a campus tour soon, starting with the University of Lagos. I am taking this to our youths because there is a huge gap between them and our culture. I have decided to close that gap”.

“I believe that if they are familiar with and love their culture, there are so many vices that won’t exist in our society. For instance, the omoluabi concept of Yorubaland, which teaches one to remember the child of whom one is. Our culture teaches us to be kind, hard-working, respectful and hospitable”.

“We would also be partnering with some of our colleagues in the mainstream, so they can also celebrate and promote their culture to the whole world. If people see that a Davido, Olamide, Wizkid, Phyno and Burna Boy and others are showing off their cultures, it would go a long way. I believe that we are ambassadors of our cultures. The Ooni of Ife is really doing so much in this regard and I’m grateful for that”.