Adekunle Gold, whose real name is Adekunle
Kosoko, is a member of the famous Kosoko royal
family of Lagos. He shot to stardom with his hit
songs ‘Sade’ and ‘Orente,’ and is not resting on his
oars as he is due to release another hit this year. The
Arts and Industrial Design graduate of Lagos State
Polytechnic explains why he jettisoned
royalty for music among other issues.WEEKEND
MAGAZINE: How
did music start for
you?
Adekunle Gold:
Music started for me basically when I was
growing up, while I was going to church
and singing in the junior choir. I remember
when my dad used to take us to school, he
always played classic songs from Ebenezer
Obey, King Sunny Ade, and that way I
fell in love with their music. That way I
developed interest and love for music. I
also thank God for my aunty who used to
put me and my sister to bed at night; she
used to teach us then to sing in different
tones. So for me, singing started from way
back.
WM: Did you ever think you will take
it up as a career?
Gold: I didn’t think too much while
growing up and all I knew then was that I
loved music. When I grew up to age 15 to
16, I started thinking of the idea of singing
professionally.
WM: Why did you choose to move
from royalty to the ordinary life of being
a musician?
Gold: Being a musician is not an
ordinary life, it is a beautiful one. Music
is everything for me. In 2008 I knew I
needed a name because I didn’t want to use
Adekunle Kosoko, so I told God to give me
a name. Then in a sermon, the preacher
said, you can’t substitute brass for gold, and
I immediately took a cue from that and that
was how my name Adekunle Gold came
about.
WM: Since your songs ‘Sade’ and
‘Orente,’ your fame has soared, how have
you been able to manage your rising fame?
Gold: To be honest, it has been
interesting and challenging sometimes,
like the things I did before and got away
with, I can’t do them anymore. Another
thing is that I can’t just walk like the normal
person that I am without getting attention.
I have also learnt to take hundreds of
selfies with people when I step out.
It feels good to be known by people.
WM: What has been the most
embarrassing situation you faced
since you became famous?
Gold: There was a time I was
on the road to the studio, not
properly dressed. In as much as
I tried to disguise by wearing a
face cap, a hoody, and glasses
to cover my face, three girls
jumped from a tricycle (keke
NAPEP) screaming Adekunle
Gold and the tricycle driver was
amazed that he was carrying
me in his tricycle. Attention
was immediately on me and
everyone wanted a piece of
me somehow. So I thought to
myself that after the entire
disguise I was still detected.
WM: Being a famous
musician, what do you
miss about normal,
simple life?
Gold: [/b]I wish I could just enter a bike
when there is traffic (jam), stop on the road
and buy roasted plantain.
[b]WM: Tell us about ‘Orente’ and ‘Sade.’
Gold: I have always said ‘Sade’ happened
to me in 2012. I was chasing a girl called
Sade in 2012 and she kept rejecting me, we
ended up not dating. In 2014 I decided to
write about Sade but I had written about
Orente before Sade. ‘Orente’ was written
to give good women a face, as at the time I
wrote the song, there were too many songs
talking about bad women, so I thought of
writing a song to praise good women, one
who will stand by her man through thick
and thin no matter what.
WM: Nigeria’s music industry is very
competitive; who do you see as your major
competition?
Gold: For me, there is no competition,
as far as I am concerned the sky is so wide
and anybody can fly.
WM:Your style of music is described as urban high life, way different from what we
have on the Nigerian entertainment scene
and yet your name is one to reckon with in
the industry, what is your secret?
Gold: My secret is basic; I write people’s
story, my story and all that we all go
through in life, so people easily get attached
to it. There is not a secret, like ‘Sade’ has
happened to almost every guy and ‘Orente’
is all about a good girl, there are good girls
who are there who need to be praised.
WM: What collaborations are you
working on?
Gold: For now I can’t talk about the
one I am working with nationally, but if I
have the opportunity to feature anybody
internationally, it would be Adele, Taylor
Swift and Bruno Mars. I would love to
feature them because I love their sound.
Locally I would love to collaborate with Asa.
WM: You just celebrated your
birthday, what new thing should
your fans expect from you?
Gold: My album will be dropping this
year.
WM: What would you tell a younger
you?
Gold: I really can’t say, but I know while
growing up I always struggled, maybe I
would have told myself to struggle harder.
WM: Asides music you are known as
a graphic designer, if you are asked which
your first passion is, which would you chose
and why?
Gold: Music, because music came before
graphics. My love for graphics came from
my love for art, I studied art in school. I love
designing and anything creative but I will
chose music over any other thing.
WM: You are all about showing people
the artistic part of you, what is your great
fashion piece?Gold: My tie and dye (adire) material.
I chose to stick to it because naturally I
like anything Nigerian. Before I became
Adekunle Gold I had always told people
to buy anything Nigerian. How can we
help the country grow if we don’t push
what we have? I know we have things that
can be exported, adire is so beautiful, if
you go to Kano and Abeokuta you will
see different kinds of adire, all this can be
exported if channeled properly. I am not
comfortable wearing jeans; I feel adire is
beautiful; I love the art about it. I am going
to stick to adire because I love it and it is
Nigerian. To be sincere I am stuck with
adire material.
WM: What’s your best
food?
Gold: I have out grown that, I
don’t have one anymore. Give me
anything I will eat.
WM: During weddings your
songs ‘Orente’ and ‘Sade’ are
always a must play. How much
does it cost to have Adekunle Gold
perfume live at an event?
Gold: I can’t say that say oooo…
If anyone wants me for a show they
can always call on me to find out.
WM: The year is still fresh,
what are your plans?
Gold: The only thing I have
planned is my album which I
believe will be a success by God’s
grace.
WM: The ‘Headies’ just ended
and it went down as the most
controversial award event, what is
your take on it?
Gold: Well, I am happy I got my
award, my category was tough but I
got mine. I am grateful to God, my
fans and friends.
WM: What last words do you
have for youths?
Gold: Don’t let anybody tell you
that you can’t do it because people
will definitely tell you that and
discourage you. I remember
someone told me that my
diction was very bad and that
they don’t think I could do
well with songs.
WM: Did you go for any
vocal training?
Gold: [/b]I did not; I was
just disturbing everybody
with my songs, people
who know me will tell you
that I sing everywhere. I
remember when I always
sang everywhere my dad
would stop and shun me,
telling me why do I sing
like a woman. Today my
dad calls me everywhere
he goes and tells me when
my song is being played
around him. Sometimes
one just has to do a lot to
prove to people that you
can do it.
[b]WM: Was there a time you
thought of giving up?
Gold: Never! Nothing of such
ever crossed my mind. www.dailytrust.com.ng/forum/home.aspx

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