{"id":42378,"date":"2018-04-30T12:00:34","date_gmt":"2018-04-30T10:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/yemi-alade-africa-is-going-be-the-spot\/"},"modified":"2020-09-27T12:33:58","modified_gmt":"2020-09-27T10:33:58","slug":"yemi-alade-africa-is-going-be-the-spot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/yemi-alade-africa-is-going-be-the-spot\/","title":{"rendered":"Yemi Alade: “Africa is going be the spot”"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\"\"<\/h3>\n

After electrifying the scene of the FEMUA in Abidjan, the new diva of Nigerian afropop received us to talk about Africa and the future. Since the release of the hit single her “Johnny”, she continues to conquer the continent and the world as well, sometimes singing even in French.<\/span><\/h3>\n


\nWe are here in Abidjan, what Abidjan and Ivory coast means to you musically and artistically?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Musically I have been inspired by Ivory Coast for a long time especially krikata, I\u2019m a big fan. I hope that\u2019s the name. It\u2019s a musical gender I really love. They used their mouth to do a lot of sounds, i really love that. Artistically, I have a lot of amazing fans in Ivory Coasts who follow me over the years. it\u2019s always a pleasure to be around. I\u2019m inspired by the people, the lifestyle, each time i come around. So yes that\u2019s what Ivory Coasts means to me<\/p>\n


\nWhy according to you Lagos became a real major city of music nowadays where it used to be Abidjan in a way?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I think life happen, things changed the most constant things in life is change, right !?
\nAt the moment people believe that if you make it in Lagos you can make it anywhere.
\nit\u2019s definitely beyond the name of the country, I think that it\u2019s people who want to make sure that the world hears them even if there is things that limiting them, things that the western world have. I think it\u2019s the hope that people have individually that is making Lagos be what it is today.<\/p>\n


\u00ab For me being an African today is one of the biggest blessing that god has giving me. \u00bb
\n
<\/span><\/h3>\n

Since more than 30 years, London and Paris were some of majors cities for music, now it seems that the action and the vision are back again in Africa by artists like you which is a change I think?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I think London and Paris are still the place to make music happen but Africa is going be the spot. Take my stuff for instance I shoot video in Africa, I also shoot video in Paris. I shot video in Paris, I shot few videos in Duba\u00ef, and sometimes i shot some in London
\nAfrica recently became the hot spot but it doesn\u2019t make London or Paris less, there is still a lot of things happening there.<\/p>\n

I believe that the perception of Africa is whiling to slightly change. Its very slow, it\u2019s little by little but I know that music has an hand on that as well. Lots of great people who are coming from Africa are doing things in a good way . On my own little way I\u2019m contributing too I hope.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a9 FEMUA<\/p><\/div>\n


Who else has been your majors influences for you in Africa?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m a big fan of Ang\u00e9lique Kidjo, Miriam Makeba, I definitely adore the work of Fela. I\u2019m also inspired by the new naija artists.<\/p>\n


\nWhy is it important to be bigger than life today especially in the music?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not important to me. If you check my Instagram you see that I pretty much be like the girl nextdoor. I don\u2019t stress my life to be bigger than life. Actually I\u2019m looking to live my life as it is and enjoy the little and beautiful things that comes.<\/p>\n

Artistically I\u2019m bigger than life, I like to push myself, push boundaries, things I don\u2019t have done before, do things that people couldn\u2019t be done as an African… In a good way for sure.
\n