Following the release of her eponymous album, award-winning singer and songwriter, Simisola Bolatito Ogunleye, better known as Simi, has been enjoying an increasing fan base. In this interview with JOE AGBRO JR., she talks about her music, sense of style, collaborations and sundry issues.
WHAT is it that excites you most about your career at this present moment?
Progress, growth… because I’ve seen a lot of people, not just in music, but life generally, that put in work and everything and they don’t get what they want out of it. So, the fact that I’m getting what I want and I’m going, I think that that’s the best thing and I’m thankful.
We don’t know what you want. We only see what we see. So, what exactly are those things you actually desire that are coming to pass now?
I’d like for people to hear my songs and like, not be able to resist it. Like, I know that it’s hard, especially when you’re in the industry. Everybody wants so many things. When we’re talking about fashion and everything, it’s easy to get lost in that mix but somehow my music has risen above everything else. I’ve said it from the beginning; I’ve said I want the best thing about me to be my music. And that’s what it has turned out.
How do you get your feedback?
I mean, in this era of the social media, it’s so easy to get feedback. You just log in, you search your name. Sometimes, people call you, when they see you, they tell you. The fact that the way people respond to your music is feedback in the fact that people are buying your music. They are what you use as feedback. So, to every single thing, how people interact with you and express themselves as regards your music is feedback.
Is it not diplomatic of you to say that people buy your music in this era of online downloads? Can you tell us what keeps you going in the face of piracy?
I think one of the reasons people don’t buy music is because there’s no accountability as regards the system, like monetary system. If you go to Yankee now, some of the people that make the most money in the industry are songwriters. You don’t even see them. They write songs and that’s because there is a way to track the plays and the royalty system, you know. Here, it’s not the same.
Mostly, you make your money from shows, endorsements and stuff like that. But I think we’re moving in the right direction because now you have like streaming platforms, you have Boomplay. I’m even calling Nigerian platforms now. You have Boomplay you have Spinlet. Then you have iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music. So, it’s easier to track now. Before, for you to get your music out; you have to use Alaba market and you don’t even get as much money as you deserve. But now, there is more and you can even reach out to crowd outside of Nigeria. So, the fact that that is getting better makes it better or easier to make your money.
How much has collaboration helped your career?
I have to say that strategic collaboration has really been very helpful for me. I think that my most noticeable collaboration will be with Falz the Bahd Guy, and Adekunle Gold. I don’t do a lot of collaborations. So far, I haven’t done a lot of collaborations but I try to do collaborations that I think would jostle my career in the right direction. And it’s not just doing collaboration; it’s about doing the right songs and making sure that your input on that song actually counts for something. Not like they know you because you’re on that song but because of what you did on that song. So, I think having correct collaboration, strategic ones are very helpful.
There’s this criticism about your dress sense. How are you taking such criticism and what are you doing to correct that?
First of all, I want to say that I think that the most important thing in anybody’s career is knowing and learning that you will evolve in your change and respecting that process. It’s very easy, especially with a lot of feedbacks from people, especially if it’s negative; you get to say, ‘what am I going to do?’ I understand that I’m a human being and I let myself be a human being. I know that there is room for improvement, so, I take steps in that direction. However, I’m an advocate for having a mind of your own.
So sometimes, there are things that people don’t like that I like. And that’s that. I believe I’m growing every day. I have style that I work with and I think that I have evolved. I’m not a fashionista. I’m not trying to be a fashionista. Definitely, I want to have better styling. But everyday I’m changing, I’m learning and I’m going to enjoy myself in the process. I’m not stressing.