Soul Muzik First Lady, Zaina Agoro is a diva who knows her onions in music.From her very remarkable stage performance at The Headies 2013 and the acceptance of her Fela inspired song Sarewale, one could tell she is ready to give the likes of Tiwa savage and Waje a run for their money.
In this interview, the Chicago-born gorgeous songbird opens up how her law background has helped her music, while debunking the rumour that she is dating Don Jazzy, and the inspiration behind her hit song ‘Sarewale’ among other issues
How has your law background helped your music?
Education in any capacity is very helpful. For me, it helped me in the sense that it made me understand the legal aspect of the music industry to an extent. I didn’t study entertainment law, so I didn’t know anything about that .It made me have an idea of signing a contract, of how to protect myself, what is acceptable and what is not acceptable .It helped me just to be more armed and guarded in the business side. Knowledge is power.
With the acceptance of Sarewale, would you say you have hit the bull’s eye?
I will say it was a nice opening. I won’t say that is the bull’s eye. A lot of people got to know me through the song .It was an eye opener, a crack in the head. I won’t say it’s the bull’s eye yet. It’s the bull‘s eye when you are visibly known everywhere and your song as well is number one out there.
Growing up in the U.S, how has it aided your music?
Growing up in the U.S made it a bit difficult to be able to connect with the Nigerian market. Luckily for me, being at home around my family made me connect easily because I grew up listening to Fela from seven years old. My family is very musical. I might not have been in Nigeria, but I wasn’t very far from the culture.
Unlike In the U.S where you get to eat pizzas and hamburgers, my favorite food then was Eba. So it wasn’t difficult blending. The only difficulty would be communication because I didn’t grow up speaking Yoruba or pidgin, so that is the only barrier I had to conquer over time.
What’s your relationship with Shizzi, the music producer?
Shizzi is like a brother to me. We blended from the first day we met. We just understand each other. I understand his personality, he understands mine. He was in South Africa before he came back to Nigeria. He has an open mind. We have great chemistry, he is a fantastic producer.
Have you ever regretted being part of any collabo?
I won’t say I have ever regretted being part of a collabo because no one can force you to do collaboration. Before it was released you would have listened to it. The push might not be the kind of publicity you wanted, but everyone has to play some kind of part.
What is the craziest thing ever written about you?
I think it’s yet to be written. I have been quite fortunate media wise. I can’t think of anything that will make me say: “Wow, how can they say that?” Headlines tend to be a little bit funny. May be it was something I said in passing and that becomes the headline
How about the news making the rounds that you are dating Don jazzy?
That’s the media for you. People do whatever digging they have to do. Don Jazzy is a good friend of mine. I don’t think it’s a big deal; I just kind of laughed it off.
How did your music journey begin?
My music journey started from secondary school. I did my first solo at 13. It was a jazz solo. I was put on the spot to sing, I want to say that was when the idea and the dream came from. From then on, I continued loving music. I started writing my own songs at about sixteen .I started recording when I got to college.
There was a time I went to New York with my mum to audition for a label. The label we went to audition for was at the time the management company working with Alicia Keys. We went there prepared and with the mindset of “If they say yes, what next?”I never actually followed up with them. Between 2003 and 2004, I met Eldee Tha Don, we were all living in Atlanta at the time.