Lara George nee Bajomo was a member of the former gospel trio KUSH, along with TY Bello and Emem Ema. .She has paid her dues as a gospel singer, having made many hit albums with lots of awards to her credit including: Voice of The Year, 2008, at the Nigerian Music Awards, as well as Song of The Year, 2009, Nigerian Gospel Music Wards amongst others. She got married to Gbenga George 10 years ago after the break-up of her group. The mother of two speaks with Adetutu Audu on her musical success after the KUSH break-up.
HOW would you say you fared last year?
It was a year of lots of goals for me.I shot and released three videos Dansaki,a new day and Ayin o and I did a lot of touring . I toured five American cities in the U.S .I was in Cotonou and I also did here in Nigeria. It was a very busy year.
This is a new year, what are your projections for the year?
For 2014. I am hoping to keep on releasing excellent work, record new work and consolidate and all the works I have done in the past.
What would you say is the secret of your towering career?
I honestly don’t feel successful yet. What I have brought me far is God, to be faithful in little so that when it is the bigger, I can do better. Be true to yourself and stay focused.
In music, you can be truly successful if you are not your own person.
Share with us the commercial success of my albums. Which is your favourite?
Dasanki is my most mature work. I grew in that album and still one of the albums I sit and listen to.
I think two of my favourites are Ijoba-Orun and recently…Dansaki…where do you get inspiration for these songs?
My songs are personal experiences. When Dansaki I was reflecting on all what God had done. It is not a small feat to be in the industry for 15 years as a woman who is married with kids,it is not easy to still be in the industry.
How did you get into music: Did you always know you would do music or is it something you just stumbled into?
I would not say that I knew, I would say it is something I always loved. Growing up, it was not a career option because my parents did not see music as something somebody serious wanted. It was just a distant love for me in my growing up days. I was always drawn to the music. When I got into secondary school, which was my first opportunity to be able to make my own choices, I joined the choir at Queens College, and it was such a wonderful experience. I just carried on from there; it was a step after the other: taking solos, enjoying the whole scenario, and by the time I got to university, I was fortunate to be a part of a wonderful girl-(musical) group that enjoyed so much success on the Nigerian scene, Kush, and that was an amazing experience.
Why Gospel Music? Because people would normally say it is easier to make money doing secular music. So why Gospel Music for you?
It is easier and the rules are fewer. There is more acceptability and I still ask myself why I choose gospel. Music is a responsibility apart from just being a talent. I think if God should give a huge talent, I should be able to encourage and impact people with my music. It remains something that would promote everything of God. I think that when you decide with your life to do something as important as music, you need to make an impact.
I read somewhere that at age six you had dreams of leading millions of people in worship to God. Looking back now would you say you are fulfilled?
I am on the path of fulfillment. I am in the right direction if I sum up all of my experiences, my stage and music for the past 15 years God has given a lot of influence over what people hear from me. I am glad that people get their circumstances change after listening to my music. That has always been my prayer and I feel I am on the path of fulfilling destiny.
After the KUSH break -up, when did it first occur to you that you could go solo? Before that moment did you ever doubt that you could make it as an artiste?
KUSH broke up in 2005.I was totally blank for one year. I didn’t want to think music at all. At some point I went back to the nine-to-five job, even on the job I couldn’t focus on anything. People who recognised me would come to me and said Lara, you don’t belong here. And one day I got back to the studio and since then, there has been no looking back.
Marriage and motherhood is a ministry. Do you agree?
I agreed 100 percent.
So what has been the secret of your success in marriage?
Marriage is a journey. Every day I wake up and pinch myself that Lara are you still here. I am grateful that God is helping to keep things together. Number one ingredient is openness, absolute sincerity to one another and accountability to God and one another. You should be able to give account of your time, money. For me it has been God and God alone. When you have God in the equation of marriage, it makes all things easy.
Your husband is your manager. How is this working for you?
It is perfectly working for me. It is important for me to carry my husband along. As a woman,you don’t need to make your man feel he is in the shadow. I have somebody I can trust looking out for me and that make it easier and somehow we became partners through this work. It is a beautiful experience. I really won’t have it the other way.
How do you revitalise your voice?
A lot of rest and sleep. When I am not working, I have to sleep. Rest is not me not doing anything, but a peace of mind that I have peace around me.
