Evelyn Zibili, popularly known as Evelle, before she outshined thousands of Nigerians last year to emerge winner of 2014 Etisalat-sponsored Nigeria Idols, used to sing part-time in some lagos-based hotel. One year after, Evelle, 24, who recently dropped her second single, Kilimanjaro, speaks to JOE AGBRO JR. in this interview on life as winner, her recording contract and why she is still single. Excerpts:
A little over a year ago, your mum had an accident while she was on her way from Benin to watch you perform at the finale of Nigerian Idols. How is she now?
She is doing well. She is good now.
It’s only of recent that parents started encouraging their children to go into music and entertainment. What was your own story?
Mine was different because I grew up in a music family. I actually grew up watching my dad sing in a traditional band. In fact, I started dancing first as a matter of fact but my dad never supported me in dancing. But when I started singing, when they saw me singing, they totally gave me their full support.
When you say your dad sings traditional music, which kind of music?
I used to watch him do music with an Edo band. They call it Asono. So, it was easy for me to do music. I could get away with it. (laighs)
So, growing up, how was it like for you?
I was born in Agege, Lagos. I left Agege when I was 11 years old and I’ve been a church girl because I literarily grew from the church. I’ve been in the choir all my life till I was 20 years old.
What church?
I started from FourSquare. Then, I later joined Christ Embassy.
How did it get to the point of participating in the Nigeria Idols competition?
Before Idols, I’ve actually been to several talent shows. I’ve been through Project Fame, been through X-Factor, and different platforms but I never go through the first stage. I always got kicked off from the first stage. ‘I’m like, what is the matter? What am I doing wrong?’ At a point, I was like, I’m not doing this anymore. I think I need to start chasing my career after trying to find a place for myself.
I joined a band and one day, I was doing repertoire at Eko Hotel, Radisson Blu and Wheatbaker Hotel. I was also working for an entertainment company called ACI Entertainment. I was in PR and I was also with the band. We were coming from Ondo State from an event and a friend that I have not spoken with for like a year, just called me and said, I think you should try Nigeria Idols, the audition is on right now and today is the last day.
I’m like, ‘wow, really, I don’t think I want to do that again.’ He called me like three times till I got to Lagos from Ondo. And the place I alighted from the bus was very close to the venue (of the audition), so, I said, let me just try it out. And I did. I got picked. And when the second time, I got picked, I said, maybe this one is sure. (laughs). And that was it.
Last year, when it was you and ID remaining on the stage of Nigeria Idol as finalists. How were you feeling?
Oh my God. Yesterday (last Saturday) on stage, I wasn’t envying those two guys (Finalists at 2015 Nigeria Idols) at all because I could remember how I felt in their shoes. My legs were shaking; I had butterflies in my tummy.
Even when they called my name, I didn’t hear it well because already I was hearing sounds in my head. My head was swelling. I don’t know what to call that kind of feeling really. But when I heard my name, I had to hear them call my name a second time to be sure it was me they called. It was really crazy. (Laughs)
One year after, you got to perform on the same stage. How was it?
It felt good really. It felt like me coming back to where I started from. It took me back to how I was a year ago. When I got on that stage, I was a bit nervous. It took me a few seconds to realise that I’m not here for competition. That stage was so much fire for us, trust me.
How is your relationship with him now?
Now, we’re cool. I call him once in a while to seek advice when I get songs I want to release.
There is a huge expectation people have from winners. As winner of Nigeria Idol, are you under pressure to deliver?
My first single (I’m Naughty) was delivered under pressure. (Laughs). I actually wrote and recorded that song in three days. I had people disturbing me, ‘when are you going to drop your single? When are you going to drop your album?’ The pressure was much. And I’m still under the same pressure. They’re like ‘keep dropping songs.’
Your first single is ‘I’m Naughty’? What do you consider as being naughty?
Actually, when I wrote that song, I didn’t have the ‘sexual naughty’ on my mind. It can go that way. I could decide to perform that song in a sexual naughty way. And I could decide you perform in a playful, troublesome naughty way. If you go check out the video, you’ll see that I had a lot of girls, a lot of colours.
It was very youthful and playful. I did that song for my friends and my family and my loved ones. I’m a very playful person. I can play to save my life. ‘They’re always like, you’re too playful, you’re troublesome, and you’re naughty.’ I’m like, ‘Really. Take that bit out of me and I’m not Evelle. I know you love me, so, I’d rather be naughty. That’s how that song came about. It says, ‘I’m naughty, that’s why you love me.’
When you say you didn’t mean it in a sexual way
After dropping the song, I realised that ‘okay, this song can actually go both ways.’ Like, I’ve had several people ask me, ‘are you really naughty?’ And I’m like ‘okay, it depends on what you mean though. I can be that naughty and I can be this naughty.’ (Laughs)
Are you naughty?
Everybody has got a bit of naughtiness in them. Whether they like it or not. It’s either they do it openly or they do it ‘codedly.’ People that work their ass off every day at work find out time to go naughty once in a while; just free themselves, even if they don’t say they’re doing it.
You’re a young lady, rising star and beautiful. Are you in a relationship at the moment?
Oh no. right now, I’m really finding it hard to be in a relationship because I feel like I can’t manage my relationship and my career together. When I find a way to manage both, yes, I’ll get into a relationship. But, right now, I don’t have the time.
As a more serious musician, how has life changed for you?
I’ve had to disturb my manager all the time to do stuffs for me. I can’t go out on a normal day where I would go to get stuffs. I can’t go to the mall alone. I used to do that a lot. I always (need) to have people around me when I’m going out. It almost feels like you don’t have a private life. It is really crazy, trust me.
And until I removed the branding on my car, it was hell. There was no street that had a gate that I would get into without paying or settling some people. Even right now, it’s still there. It’s just my plate number. So, if they don’t see the plate number, I’m free. If they do, I go drop something. Even those that can’t read, once they see, NAIJA IDOL, they’ll say, ‘wait, wait, wait.’ Like people screaming, ‘Naija Idol, we voted for you. You no go stop give us money? I’ve had a lot of that.
When is your album dropping?
I’m working on it. I’m dropping singles first. I’m dropping another song (Kilimanjaro) tomorrow (last Monday). I’m actually working on my album project right now. By God’s grace, before the end of the year, I intend to release it.
How has the experience been like working with South Africa-based Universal Music Company?
They’re good in their own way. I’m the first artiste they’re signing on in Nigeria. So, we’re cool.
What are some of the things you’ll consider as your strength?
My stage presence, my vocal ability and the fact that I’m very youthful as well.
How about drawbacks?
I’m very emotional to a fault. I hardly rest so it tells on me a lot. Sometimes when you see me, you see me with bags under my eyes because I never rest even when I get the chance to rest, I find it very hard to rest because I’m a very hyperactive.
You sang at Governor Rochas Okorocha’s inauguration. How did you get that gig?
His daughter is my friend. She was the one that put everything together. But, it was just God’s grace, I guess, because if not, I don’t think they would have remembered me.
Do you still sing at your part-time gigs?
It was so painful. I still go there once in a while to just have fun with the band but I’m not allowed to sing with them for money anymore.
Oh, you’re not allowed to sing for money?
I’m not allowed to because it would be like, ‘she’s still doing other people’s songs. She needs to start doing her songs and all.’ I still do other people’s songs for corporate events that they’ll pay me as an artiste. Then (when with the band), I used to receive eight thousand naira per show or 12 thousand naira per day because we were quite much in the band. It was a full band. But right now, if they catch me there, they will flog me out. Even the band guys, when I tell them, ‘can I quickly do a song with you guys, I just want to have fun, they’re like, quickly, don’t let people see you for here.’
You won N7.5m which is good money for a struggling artiste anywhere in the world. Did winning that money make you relax or want to make more money?
Relax? Well, first of all, the money actually taught me a lot because I’ve never made that kind of money in my life. Where I wan get am from? So, I now got to know that if you don’t do something with money fast, it goes. I’ve been able to do a lot. I’ve done a few songs, I’ve bought studio equipment. I’m setting up my own studio. I shot my video. I’ve done a lot with the money.
When I remember these things, I’m like ‘the money did not waste.’ So, I don’t think you having that kind of money means you should relax because it means more work. Because it’s very hard for an artiste to see his (bank) account get that big and it is reducing. When it (bank account) is reducing, you can have heart attack if you’re not careful.
Now, let’s talk about pirates. They make all the money while the creative individual is left to feed on crumbs. How prepared are you to step into such an industry?
We don’t have much of a choice right now. But we know that the government we have right now are planning to do something about it. Like my first single, ‘I’m Naughty,’ when I released it, it was on iTunes, because I’m signed to Universal Records. My fans were like, ‘why would you put your song on iTunes? We voted for you during Nigeria Idols and you want us to buy your song. I was like, ‘I’m sorry, no be me. Left to me, I would give it to everybody for free.’ I still had to find a way to let my fans have it, irrespective of the contract I signed. I knew it was my first single, I was supposed to find a way to do that.
