EVA DELIVERS BOUNCING BABY (PART 2)

About a couple of days after being admitted into Igbobi in the general ward where I felt like I was in hell listening to the wailing, weeping, groaning and moaning of people in pain, even up until the wee hours of the morning; my trachea closed up completely and I couldn't breathe. It took about 3 nurses passing by, not having a clue that I couldn't breathe before I grabbed on to the fourth in panic. My face was swollen and my eyes were red according to the lady. They rushed me into the resuscitation room, the oxygen tank was empty. They were told to get the spare from storage but were told that that was the storage that was empty. They brought a suction machine to suck out what was blocking air and causing the trachea to contract but when they hooked up the machine, they realized that the switch wasn't working. They sent for the electrician who lived not so far away but was told that he had travelled to the village to see his wife some hours ago. This is true life I am telling you. I wanted to see my parents' no! I NEEDED to see them, even if it was for one last time. (pauses) anyway, somewhere through all the drama, this doctor calmly walked up to me, his name tag read DR. SAVOURUS. I am not too sure of the spelling but it is pronounced (sa- v- rous). He was light in complexion and always had this gentle smile. I saw him about 3 times while I was in the hospital that day was the first time. He wore these dark rimmed glasses and just breezed through the commotion, walked up to me with a smile on his face and asked me if I wanted to die. My eyes were red and puffy from suffocation, fear and the tears that rushed down my face. I think he got the message and then touched my cheek, realised the cervical collar around my neck and I began to breathe gradually. The cervical collar was not even tight so I really didn't get that whole act ?. The day I was discharged, I thanked the nurses and asked to see Dr. Savourus. They looked at me like I was crazy. I described him accurately because I could not forget that face. I was told that no doctor like that worked in that hospital. I begged them to check their records and all that and they even got the head matron and other staffs to confirm their claim. Hmm' till this day, I still think about it. I was not delusional, I know what I saw. There are other dramatic events that have gone on in my life but maybe I will leave that for the next interview.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

It all goes back to when I was little, during the days of wearing my mum's heels, make up and the likes. One day while I was getting all dolled up; I heard a song from Whitney Houston. It was one of her performances they were showing on TV or something and the crowd was massive. I don't really remember the song she sang but I remember the look on the people's face. The whole stadium was as silent as a grave while she sang. Whitney Houston's voice, song, delivery, looks' everything about her commanded respect and I could feel it in that room. Some of the folks were in tears, lovers were holding hands, fathers had their daughters on their shoulders' it was a profound moment and an enlightening experience for me. Something clicked on the inside of me, that this is what I wanted to be and what I will be and have; to be in a position to influence people with my music, personality and certain things I have learnt in life along the way, to touch and change lives while helping to reshape the minds of the younger generation to the beauties, opportunities and principles of life in everyway I can. I know so many people have said that before but you see, I have always had 2 dreams growing up; not 1 or 3 or10' just 2 that has refused to die in me; the first is to be a Teacher of not just the academicals but of life as well and the second is to change the world. It sounds lofty and unrealistic I know, but it's etched into me. I don't know how to dream anything else ? So it was from that moment that I began paying attention to music. Whenever someone was on TV or radio singing, I would follow and imitate and that was how I trained my voice. It wasn't through tapes or books or a vocal coach. It came from within. You know, before my accident, I had a normal good voice. I sang well' very well but I had an ordinarily good voice. One thing the accident did for me was put some character and definition in my voice that when you hear it now, you cannot mistake it ? so' no regrets. I never joined any choir or group. The ones I dabbled into were never for long' a month at most. I tried starting a group of my own a couple of times but it didn't quite work out. I sang a lot in school for seniors, my mates and a few social events. When I got into UNILAG, I did a few amateur performances and gradually started making my way around. It wasn't until after service year which is about 3 years ago, that I made up my mind to go into it full time. I did a few recording with the help of a darling friend- Bolaji Onisiwo and strong-armed my paternal uncle, Kingsley Ogoro to listen to it after years of begging him and having him go out of his way to avoid me then. The tracks impressed him and his friends so much that he gave me Ataga, who was working with him at the time, as a manager. The rest is history.

THE ARTISTE

I am a perfectionist. I watch too much TV. I guess it's kinda good because in a way it broadens my way of thinking and my creativity. I hate copying or sampling from other people. I think its soooo not cool. I like to be the pace setter that others follow or to just be in a league of my own. That's why I have much respect for My pastor- Pastor 'Poju Oyemade, Asa, Tracey Chapman, Macy Gray, Mary J. Blige, Tuface, MI and a few others. It's not easy to stay focused, remaining in your lane while the whole world is screaming one thing or the other in your ear. I dub my hat for those who remain unmoved, who listen to their hearts and just do what they feel they ought to.

I love stories. A number of songs in my album are stories. It's a lot more personal and easier to follow but difficult to put together if you don't have it in you. I love poetry so I must rhyme in all my songs and I must play with words and metaphors.

I am emotional; my songs are three quarter of the time about me or someone really, really close to me. If I am in excruciating pain or I am seeing butterflies from being slugged on the head by cupid, I always love to capture that moment in a song. That way it lives forever, always reminding me about the paths I have walked in life. When it comes to composing music, I am reserved because I dig the deepest within myself at that point. When it comes to delivery and performances, I am emotional, eccentric and unpredictable.

ALBUM I am really excited about this album. It is my first and it's called SHADES OF GRAY. It has 15 tracks that talk about those grey moments in our lives when we are stuck in the middle, somewhere in between where we are or what we have and where we want to be or what we want. Those days used to be consistent in my life once upon a time, now' well' get the album first.

I worked with a few producers like TIMSONIC, SHOGON, INI D'MINSTREL, WOLE ADESANYA, JOKAYNIE, DARE & TUNJI ALAYO and did a few collabos with KONGA, KANI, BENNY P and SHOGON.

I don't think I have a favourite track. Each track speaks to me differently in different ways and at different moments.

The album is released under the management of GRAY TIGER ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED and is marketed by HAPPY BOYS ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED. ? I owe My Parents, Atagamen Izopku, Effiong Eton, Late Mike Bluemoon (May his soul rest in perfect peace), Bola Brown, Dr. Kola Munis and so many others more than I can ever say. God used them tremendously to make all this happen. 2 Years + no bi small thing o. we don try.

FEARS IN LIFE

A dear friend, mentor and ally died a couple of weeks back. His name was Mike Bluemoon. It was traumatizing to me finding out about his death and the way he died. He meant a lot to me and a lot of people in the entertainment industry but I don't want to go into that now.

God has not given me the spirit of fear but of love, joy, peace and a sound mind but before I conditioned my mind to that truth, I was always scared of living and dying alone. To just disappear off the face of this earth and no one would care or even know, to not have left something behind to be remembered for, to not have been relevant in my generation' even if it is to one person, to not have known love, to be scared and not have someone to call or run to. It gave me a lot of sleepless nights and with the death of Mike Bluemoon and now Michael Jackson, it makes you think. The news sorta, kinda reawakened those fears in me but I am gradually getting my stride back.

ALBUM LAUNCH

Well, my management and I have been talking and we decided to not have an album launch or a release party. Instead, we are putting all our time and resources to having a massive and crazy command performance. I want people to get to see the entertaining side of me. So I guess that that's something you're gonna have to look out for. It ought to fall in the month of August or early September.

WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT?

Hmm' what makes me different? Being here! Still being here makes me different. I don't think you understand Graye. I have a lot of honest pain and at the same time gratitude bottled up in me. You can't begin to imagine what I have gone through in my life' what I have seen and everyday I pray that no one ever has to go through the same things. I am not here to compete or waste my time beefing the next artist for having more CD sales or for doing the craziest things. Life is too short for that. I'm just here to tell my story and hope it makes a difference in somebody's life. I am not saying that I wouldn't want to be recognized or honoured for my artistic qualities but that is a secondary thing for me. When I enter the studio, I am basically thinking of YOU and not ME. Inside of me I am praying that this music will do something significant for you. You know what I mean? I am just doing my part to make the world a lot less scary than it is for the younger generation and the generations to come.

Now I don't know what else to say' this chick just sounds a little too good to be true. In the words of D'banj' 'if you are still sitting down, you are on a long thing!' you gotta go out and get a copy of this chick's album. It's titled 'SHADES OF GRAY' and I really would appreciate it if you wrote in and told me what you thought of the album. Did I beat the gun by hyping it as much as I did? I'll wait for your comments and questions on graye@goodlife.com.ng

Catch ya online. Till then' Toodles