•What’s currently happening to Bracket?
We have just dropped our new single, “Alive”, featuring Tiwa
Savage and Tanzanian act,Diamond. We are thanking God for
sparing the life of Vast who survived cancer last year. We
shot the video of the single, which premiered on Tuesday in
South African. Last year, we thought of setting up a
foundation, Bracket Cancer Foundation. The aim of the
foundation is to assist cancer patients to have access to
quality treatment. Many people have died as a result of
cancer related disease mainly due to financial constraints.
•Who wrote the song?
We were in a studio in America with Flavour last year when
we got the inspiration. While in the studio, we were sharing
ideas and suddenly, we composed the song. Thereafter, we
started considering artistes who would feature in the song.
Initially, we wanted to work with Davido but he was too busy.
We tried to track him down in America but we failed. Back in
Nigeria, he was still busy just as we didn’t have the time too.
That was how we travelled to South African and met
Tanzanian singer, Diamond. We decided to work with him.
Assessing your performance last year, would you claim that
Bracket did pretty well?
Some people would say, after “Yori Yori” we have not heard
from you guys again. Sometimes, I’d laugh it off. This is
because, there’s a big competition going on in the industry at
the moment. People tend to pay more attention to the ‘new
school’; (emerging artistes) who just had their breakthrough
in the industry. That’s why most times, people don’t really
know when other artistes drop their albums. I remember that
we dropped a song last year titled “International Baby.”
Though, it wasn’t a hit.
Also, while Vast was still on his hospital bed, we did a song
with Clearence Peters called, “Temperature.” Later, we
released “Mama Africa” followed by “Nana.” We have been
busy, but I wouldn’t blame anyone who said, he has not been
hearing from us again. Like I said, the “new school” are
ruling the airwaves and people are paying more attention to
them than the old school. But frankly speaking, outside
Nigeria, we are celebrated in other African countries. We
don’t have to make noise about it. Our work speaks for us.
It’s not as if we are not doing enough. But the attention
today is being shifted to the up and coming artsites. We have
songs that can keep us performing on stage for more than 45
minutes.
•Does it mean, you don’t have what it takes to compete with
them?
If don’t, we could as well have gone back home. But I think
the Nigerian music industry is more of a fame thing than
fortune. I would rather get that fortune than fame. I know
certain things that the older artistes venture into, which the
new generation artistes dare not attempt. All these things,
have to do with media hype. And sometimes, when you over-
publicize an artiste, it has its negative effect. I rather remian
in the middle and still be relevant than to be pushed to the
front and contribute nothing meaningful.
For instance, in Lagos, if our song like, “Nana” was released
by Wizkid or Davido, it would have been a big hit. But it did
not fly here, while in other cities like Port-harcourt, Owerri,
“Nana” is played everywhere. Surprisingly, one time in Port-
Harcourt, we were asked to close a show, that had one of
the top artistes in attendance. In fact, we are celebrated
everywhere, except in Lagos. Some artistes know how to go
about it.
However, to break into the Lagos market, we are seriously
working on our image and presence in Lagos, in addition to
putting a management team in place. I think, when you have
a better management and PR coupled with a good song, the
sky will be your limit. All the same, we have lived up our
billing. We are not just Nigerian artistes, but we have hit the
international scene.
•Are you saying that you are bigger in the eastern part of the
country?
We are celebrated everywhere we go , whether in the east,
west or north. For instance, Flavour’s latest album, is being
played everywhere in the east. But in Lagos, it’s not enjoying
massive airplay. I give it up to the emerging acts who are
making waves in Lagos. We have tried to hold our own in the
industry till date. Though, it has not been easy to sustain the
tempo.
•The allegation that you are gay went viral online some time
ago. Are you gay?
When we read the story online, we thought it wasn’t a
serious allegation until my cousin called from Enugu. I was
laughing…There are certain things, we wouldn’t want to say
on the pages of a newspaper. All we can say is that ‘ you
wait until you see us marry.’ But to clear the air, we are not
gay. People that are close to us will attest to it.
•When are you dropping your next album?
Hopefully in April, this year. But we are praying that the song
should be able to announce our presence in Lagos. We don’t
just want to drop an album yet. That’s why we have been
dropping singles. Currently, we want to do a remix of “Nana”
and we are shopping for a better producer that can help us
break into the Lagos market. We are still perfecting plans
towards the launch of our foundation this year. Although, we are yet to decide on date.
We have seen some big musical groups break up in the past.
•Is there anything that can make you guys consider the option of going your separate ways?
After what we went through last year, I don’t think the idea
of break up will ever come into our minds. God has actually
shown us that we were born to be together in this game.
Even right from when we used to be three members, before
we later reduced to two, we have resolved to be together.
Nothing can separate us.
No comments:
Post a Comment