This smash-hit, four-track EP, featuring some of the biggest artists signed to the esteemed Icon Music Records, is jam-packed with incredible talent, skills, and vocals. Offah, Shira, and Eze collaborated to record “Icon All Stars” at the Icon Recording Studio in Lekki Victoria Island, Lagos. The group worked with producers and sound engineers Larry Popo and Benjay and spent “all day and night” perfecting the EP there. This distinctive record label and its artist enter a new era with the release of “Icon All Stars,” a special album. ‘Icon All Stars,’ which primarily draws its inspiration from Afrobeat culture, aims to spread its sound throughout the entire world.
Eze is a rising Afrobeat singer and songwriter at the top of the West African music scene, going by both this stage name and his real name Ekwueme Ezeudo. Eze was born and raised in the culturally rich city of Lagos in Nigeria. He has always been fascinated by the music industry, and his love and passion have only grown with time. Eze has now released a number of songs through the record company Icon Music Records after carefully honing his craft, and he is allegedly “on his way to ascending the throne as the real Afrobeat king.”
Nigeria-born Comforter Iyamba, better known by her stage name “Offah,” is a multifaceted musician, singer, and songwriter. Because of her truly exceptional vocal ability, flexibility, and versatility to perform in any genre she chooses, she has established a well-deserved reputation as one of the most promising female talents in the Afrobeat industry over the course of her career, which has spanned several years. Offah infuses all of her music with a raw sense of authenticity and organic cultures that leave the listener reeling in her overt skill set, drawing on distinct inspirations from the dulcet tone and rich soundscape of African music. Offah signed a contract with the prestigious Icon Music Records after her music was best characterized as a “celebration of life, love, and the human experience.” After just one listen, Offah is sure to leave you impressed with her deeply moving voice and contagious optimism.
Shira Shira, Emmanuel Efomah’s stage name and persona in the music industry, is a similarly gifted Nigerian singer and songwriter who is rumored to be well-known for his distinctive vocal prowess. He is one of the most promising artists for the future of the Afrobeat sector in Africa, along with his fellow Icon Music Records artists. Check out the exclusive interview below:
1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?
Shira: My name is Emmanuel Efomah, and I’m from Delta State. I was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, in a family of 10. I happen to be the youngest among 5 boys, and that’s where my journey in music began. My brothers were into break dancing and singing, although they never pursued it as a career.
EZE: It all started on the streets of Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria. I am from Abia State, Umuahia, but was born and raised here in Lagos. It’s not easy to chase your dreams without facilities. I started as a choir member in church, and the rest is history!
OFFAH: I’ve always had music as a huge part of my life from as early as I can remember. I come from Cross River State, and it has always been my dream to make music professionally. I can remember various prophets in churches asking my mom to allow me to make music when I get older, saying it was the medium God was going to use to change my life. So, when I got a record deal, I jumped at the opportunity. It’s a dream come true.
2. Did you have any formal training, or are you self-taught?
Shira: I would say I had a lot of self-teaching because even after being exposed to a lot of music as a kid growing up with my brothers, with loud music and break dancing happening every day, I felt like I didn’t need anything extra. When I was around great musicians, all I did was listen, observe, and learn.
EZE: Well, the truth is, you can never do it alone without some ideas from various sources and people. I lost my desires, but my dreams and aspirations kept me going.
OFFAH: No, I haven’t received any sort of training in music.
3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences, and why the name Shira?
Shira: My strongest musical influences were the late Michael Jackson, Biggie, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Bob Marley, Nate Dogg, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and the Refugees, to name a few.
EZE: I started listening to sounds from various artists, but my strongest musical influence was Fela the Great and the rest of them. I chose the name EZE because I was born to rule, and EZE means King!
OFFAH: My very first idol was Tiwa Savage. I remember hearing her verse on a remix of Flavour’s “Oyi N’atu” and I just knew that was what I wanted to do with my life.
4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
Shira: Music is an instrument for change. The things I express in my music as a musician are meant to withstand the test of time because I’m a conscious person, and that reflects in my music. My sound is a fusion of Afro beats and pop, creating what some call “Afro fusion.” I personally refer to it as “Afro pop.”
EZE: My sound is unique and priceless. I don’t just sing for people to listen; I sing for the body and soul, which means I try to convey every positive message with my music. No matter what you’re going through, my music is the key to your soul. My sound is Afrobeat.
5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and often emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style?
Shira: As I mentioned earlier, I grew up around a lot of music, so I knew what I wanted to sound like. I never sounded like anyone I knew, and that’s because I had listened to a lot of great musicians. I knew I couldn’t afford to sound like someone I had heard before. So, I created a “pop” sound in my head, combining it with my natural Afro influences. This ignited today’s biggest sound in music, not R&B, rap, blues, or hip hop, but “Afro pop,” and it’s here to stay. It’s like mixing black and white together.
EZE: I created my sound from Afrobeat, and yes, that’s because it’s easy to fuse anything into it. All you need is a good melody, and you’re good.
6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try to address any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?
Shira: I mainly focus on my craft and the impact it makes on my listeners. Positive change is key. Expressing ourselves as musicians is often misinterpreted, so I aim to keep it entertaining and artistic.
EZE: I use my music to speak to the world because that’s the only way I can communicate faster. Music is my weapon.
OFFAH: The role music plays in our societies cannot be overlooked. Music has always served as a means of communication and entertainment. I like to convey messages through my music and make sure I have music that promotes our African values.
7. Do you feel that your music is giving you as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more or different in the future?
Shira: *smiling* Just doing this interview alone means a lot and signifies that a lot is going to happen in the near future. My name is “Shira Manatana,” and don’t forget I said this. A new era of sound is upon us, and I’m going to be a co-founder, if not the founder *laughs*.
EZE: First off, I don’t do music for what I’ll get from it because music is my passion, and whatever comes from it to me is my right.
OFFAH: These are still my early days. I’ve been putting in a lot of work, and I’m certain I’ll be seeing huge results in the coming years. For now, I have the fulfillment of knowing I’m creating beautiful music.
8. Could you describe your creative process? How do you usually start and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?
EZE: Sometimes I start by freestyling, which means singing from my head down to my heart and then to your ears. My creative space is very important to me. Most times, I listen to beats, then write on them with different melodies and ideas.
OFFAH: My creative process usually depends on the producer I’m working with. Most times, I have my entire song drafted down and the producer makes a beat to what I’ve come up with, or I work with the producer’s vibe and write the song after they have sent an instrumental.
9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
EZE: You see, it’s not easy to wait for success. Expectations will come from various people, and family and friends will ask questions, so I’ll say “TIME”.
OFFAH: So far, it’s been really exciting. I’ve been too excited to endure anything. However, I look forward to when I’ll have to endure sleepless nights because of so many tours.
10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud, or significant point in your life or music career so far?
EZE: I can’t say for now because I still have a long way
OFFAH: That would be at an event where I had performed and even danced with the governor of my state, in the presence of all the chiefs and elders in my community. My grandmother is a female chief, and the pride on her face was unmistakable. That was the day she too decided to support my dream, and it meant a lot to me.
11. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?
OFFAH: In showbiz, you have to keep people talking about you in one way or another. It’s part of the job, but you don’t have to pay attention to what they say. I never do.
12. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these options excites you most, and why?
OFFAH: I love the creation process just as much as I enjoy interacting with fans. But if I were to make a choice, I would get more excited about working in a studio.
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