My affairs with Banky W

My affairs with Banky W
By TOSIN AJIRIRE

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Chidinma Elenor Okebalama loved singing right from her youth. In fact, she discovered her singing talent at the tender age of five when she sang in the choir of her church in Port Harcourt. Chidinma later relocated to the United States where she was born 24 years ago, to further her education at Northeaster University in Boston.


Okebalama


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Now, a System Engineer, the singer has a single that is already making waves on radio.

Blessed with a vocal power like that of Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton and a stage presence of Christy Essien-Igbokwe and Beyonce, Chidinma has diverse experience in entertaining live audience in concert hall, churches, campuses, and sundry other social functions.

The tall and pretty musician, who plays lawn tennis and also enjoys watching football, opened up to Blockbuster during the week. It’s an exclusive interview that reveals her inner self. Enjoy:

How I came into music

Music has always been a part of my life. I have been singing for a very long time. I have been singing right from my teenage years. I started singing at church. I was a choir member of the Assembly of God Church in Port Harcourt. But I was taking my time. I decided to complete my degree in Electrical Engineering before pursuing a professional career in music, that’s what I am doing now.

Between music and engineering

I decided to go professional in 2007 when I finished my degree in Mechanical Engineering. I love mathematics; it has always been the easiest course for me so I decided to do Engineering. Music comes to me naturally but I don’t know how the two match. If I have to make a choice between music and engineering, I would definitely take music because it allows me to express myself just the way I am. As an engineer you work for somebody who tells you to do this and that. Eventually, I hope I could dump engineering for music. If I get to a point where I can focus on music hundred per cent, that will be a happy day for me.

Parental support

I have the support of my parents to sing. They are very encouraging. They like what I am doing. My dad is an advocate of going after your dream and following your passion. My dad is my biggest fan but at the same time I wanted to have a degree first as a sort of fall back. I was in the children choir. It was an exciting moment for me to sing and to discover that I have a good voice. I am not at the pinnacle of my career yet, I am just starting out and my parents are in support of me.

Inspiration

Music comes to me in very different ways. Sometimes I am in the bus travelling and it comes. What I do is to write it down. That’s why I am always with this my little notebook. Any time I have inspiration for a song, even while in the shower, I quickly jot it down in my notebook. I get high on music and not on any other thing. I listen to a broad range of music both foreign and Nigerian. I listen to a lot of Mo’hits, MI and Banky W stuff.

Show me your 32

I have a single entitled, Show Me Your 32.. I wrote the song in the United States. Everybody knows what’s going on in the world right now; I mean the recession and the job cut. One day, I just said to myself that with all this depression and sadness around why can’t I write a song that will put smiles on the faces of people? That’s how I came about Show Me Your 32. Another song I did and now playing on radio is Obimo, a song about love and wedding. Though, the title is Igbo, it is a song done in English. I was born in the United States but raised in Nigeria so I can speak Igbo.

Challenges

It’s hard combining music and engineering. I still have my full-time job as an Engineer and work crazy hours everyday. After work, I have to go to the studio. Sometimes I am in the studio till around 4a.m and yet I have to be at work at 7a.m so, I think the challenge of balancing my work as an Engineer and my music career has been the toughest for me.

Me and Banky W

I won a competition to jam on stage with Banky W in Hollywood recently but unfortunately the event didn’t hold. Later, he heard me sing and invited me to Maryland to jam with him. Together we performed Till My Dying Days. Oh, did I have a crush on Banky? You can go and ask him (laughs). Since I came back to Nigeria I have not met with Banky even though I saw him perform at Rhythm Unplugged recently. Banky and I just got along well. We both have a mutual friend so it’s not difficult for us to get along with each other. Like me, Banky is also an Engineer so the chemistry flows between us. To me, Banky is cool. He is handsome and a very relaxed person.

My kind of man

I don’t have a date right now. I am here to promote my music. But then I would like to have a man that is God fearing, a man that loves me and my family. I should be kind of selfish if I say I cannot marry an artiste when I am one. I think we should be able to understand one another as artistes better than any other person.

From music to movies

I did some drama while growing up but I have not really done any acting professionally. Maybe I can feature in a Nigerian movie in the nearest future.

On style

Style comes from within. It is an expression of who you are. For me, style is anything I wear and comfortable with. I am good to go in whatever looks good on me be it jewellery or anything.