Many artistes disgrace themselves trying to sing live - Femi Odewole

Femi Odewole is a band owner (the Guitar Band) and is very popular in party circles. He recently decided to do mainstream pop music and recently released his debut single ‘Unlimited Ariya’. He told ROTIMI IGE about his reasons for re-branding, among other issues.

How has the journey been so far as a band owner?

Well, I thank God for all he has done. It has been a case of slow, steady and extremely interesting because we have had a mix of good and bad times. Having a band requires a lot of effort, inquiry and a lot of investment in order to be a success. Compulsorily, you need to sound very well so as to attain a certain height as a band. 

You are a popular musician among party and concert events, why did you decide to form a band and not pursue a solo career.

 Forming a band is attaining the highest point in music. Forming a band makes one understand music better as it is a better learning platform. Bringing vocalists and instrumentalists to make pleasing music is not easy but when done efficiently, makes the band stand out. Whether you are a solo artiste or a band artiste, at some point, you will have to go out and perform as a band to entertain people. Right now, show producers now demand more by insisting that artistes come with a live band. Now, you see most solo artistes rushing to assemble bands so that they can command better attention. Not many of them succeed on a live stage because they are used to computerised music.

Now you are releasing a single ‘Unlimited Ariya' today, a solo performance? Why?

Yes, I am releasing ‘Unlimited Ariya’ today to buttress my platform as a band owner. Over the years, Femi Odewole and the Guitar band has performed in over 4,000 events. Making a single is just to explore another phase of showbiz and of course, with the band. 

You featured Fabulous Pizzy, a mainstream pop artiste on the song. Why?

The choice of Fabulous pizzy was easy to make because he is one of the few pop artistes that can also play convieniently with a live band and he understands the different genres of music. I was able to connect with him because he was easy to work with and he delivered his lines excellently.

What do you hope to achieve with this song?

I want the song to be an evergreen song and to be in the first choice the song lists of birthday parties etc. It is a party song that has a groovy tune, surely people will like the song.

Should fans expect more songs that are hip hop/ mainstream in the future?

Yes, after this, we plan to release another wedding song and before the end of the year, the fans should expect a good album with videos. 

Many band artistes, for example, Pasuma, are trying to cross over and do hip hop songs, why is this? Isn't your band lucrative enough?

Having a band is a lucrative business and you tend to make a lot of money, nevertheless, releasing a single, for any kind of musician, is a natural thing since it is an act of making music. Pasuma, for example, has made a head way in the Fuji industry before he crossed over to do hip hop, this is a very rare move as it requires a lot of creativity. To me, Pasuma is a form of encouragement to upcoming artists and I give kudos to him.

The name of your new single is titled 'Unlimited Ariya'. What was the inspiration behind the song?

My live performances at events as a band, over the years, had unique occurences. If you dissect the hooks and choruses in ‘Unlimited Ariya’ very well, you would realise some aspects of music like highlife, calypso, juju etc and all refined differently into a single. 

What/who are your earliest influences growing up?

I have many mentors but the ones that influenced me the most were Fela, Lagbaja, Beautiful Nubia, and Gbenga Adenoma.

What kind of music are you generally known for?

I actually do cross over music because I fuse all genres but people know me more for Highlife and Calypso.

You are also one of the few people in Oyo State who has amassed expensive sound instruments. Why did you decide to invest in sound?

To own a live band, you need very good sound to be able to perform well and connect with the audience. One also tends to meet a lot of people in the line of business. You can make business out of it by supplying sound for contracts, concerts, political campaigns and rallies. So, when I pulled funds together, I was able to invest heavily and acquire quality equipment and today, I am making money.

Which events has your sound outfit ‎catered to?

To name a few, my sound outreach has catered for ‘Fuji to bam’, a corporate Fuji concert sponsored by a Beer company, stadium concerts and different political rallies.

What other projects are you into? 

LED screens supplies, event consulting and strategising showbiz. 

The entertainment industry in Oyo State is big but yet to thrive. As a stakeholder in its budding industry, why is this happening?

As far as I am concerned, artistes in Ibadan are as good as any in the world but the platform on which they currently operate is not the best compared to for example, Lagos. We need more people to invest in our local artistes in Oyo State. All the companies have their head offices situated in Lagos and so in most things they do, they use Lagos-based artistes and most media people that promote artistes are also based in Lagos. Nevertheless, Ibadan is coming up very fast and that is why we are doing so much to build and invest on our platform. 

How do you relax?

Most times, I relax in my home but sometimes, I travel out of the country.

Most memorable musical experience?

There are so many memorable experiences but the one I cannot forget is the MTN night at Ibadan Polo Club.

What would you have been if not a musician? 

I may have become an engineer, working on an oil rig as I am a Chemical Engineering graduate from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH).