Exclusive: I Would Have Become An Attorney General, I Am Qualified – Singer

Naij.com recently met up with Lawyer-turned-singer, Tosin Martins, and he talked about his childhood growing up in Lagos, how he could have become the Attorney General of a state in the nation, mainstream music in Nigeria and why he might never collaborate with anybody except the content is right and wholesome.

Singer, Tosin Martins.

Tosin Martins is unassuming. You start to talk to him and the first thing you realize is his wealth of knowledge and calmness, before the music even comes to mind. This wealth of the mind has seen him try out a number of genres till date.

“I have tried my best to express myself in one genre but I find it difficult because I see that I can express myself in more genres than one.

“I do a number of genres including RnB, Gospel, Highlife, as well as traditional music,” he told Naij.com.

READ ALSO: X3M Singer, Simi, Opens Talks Music, Her Father’s Death And Her Love Life

The man has come of age. You realize this as well the moment you listen to him speak, his confidence is present too.

“I have been a professional musician for about 20 years,” he said.

“I am currently on my fourth album, which has been amazing experience through and through.”

Martins is resident in Nigeria but does music both locally and internationally. His first professional album was titled Happy Day, a project he defined as “a personal album and love song”, he said.

He took a breather and returned with a double album five years after, this time with Storm Records under the tutelage of Obi Asika. The album was titled Higher – The Expression & The Confession.

“I tried for once to separate the gospel songs from the love songs so that people who love a particular type of song could have a seamless flow without having to interfere with the others pretty much.

“It was a great feeling doing that especially as I’d never do just any kind of music for the commercial gains without considering the content and theme in it, which basically means I’d never do a song that isn’t wholesome or good enough for me to show to my kids, for instance”

Both projects were greeted by critical acclaim and wide reception, as he went on to new frontiers and sold his craft further outside the shores of the country.

The Olo Mi singer is back yet again on a new album, his fourth, and he says this of the title.

SEE ALSO: 20 Evergreen Songs Of Pop Icon, Tuface Idibia

“I was deliberately just trying to play on words by titling this album Am A MES, because we kind of needed a bold title. Also we needed a title that made sense in aspects of the style, the approach, the angle, the production and where it’s coming from.

“On this one, you’ll listen and see that it’s sort of like a compilation of all the Tosin Martins style in one piece. The expression is adventurous, bold, different and it may not be perfect but it is worth anyone’s listen.

“Now, when you mix so many things together, it’s a mess. But that’s not what we were exactly saying here. The acronym MES stands for Minister, Entertainer and Statesman because these embody the different aspects of what I do.

“I will entertain when I play at social functions like weddings for example and that’s me entertaining. Also, I will be responsible for certain aspects that my music influences in, which means I’m ministering with it especially in view of praises and worship. Lastly, I will be responsible for society and its well being especially recognizing the issues the ordinary man deals with and trying to address them with my music, talking about civic responsibilities, social campaigns and all, at this point I am a statesman.

The singer is clear and armed with a fine oratory, which prompts the question of how and where he had his education.

He answered: “I went to school in Lagos at primary level, at Baptist Academy, Obanikoro. My mother was quite itenerant and didn’t want me to be without parental cover and care so I relocated to Abuja to round off primary school while staying with my elder sister who was like a mother to me as well. And then to Federal Government College, Abuja. After which I came back and attended the University of Lagos. I read Law so maybe that explains why I speak as I do, because yeah, I went to the Law School in Lagos where I qualified as a barrister.

“And now that you’ve asked I look at it and by the ethics of the profession, I’d say that if I were practicing as a lawyer, after 10 years I could have become an Attorney General of a state of the federation because this year makes it 12 years since I have been called to the bar and 10 years of practice makes you qualified for the Attorney General position.

It’s interesting his revelation here so we ask how he’s fared in terms of if he would have outshined this level of renown if he was in active legal practice or not, and whether he seems himself as a legend in Nigerian music.

He smiles, and then answers: “Urm, oh well, if you know me I’m not one person who likes to settle. I’m in the studio now and I’m recording a song with Vector. As long as the message is positive, if it’s not something I can beat myself for I won’t do it. And so if I can interact with people that way, trying to get to the point where I really just want to leave a message and touch the man on the street, I’m fine. But I don’t think I’m a legend yet.

“I can understand the sense in which you are saying it, because I’m older than most of these big names you have today, because I’ve been around way longer. But then I don’t see myself as a legend. Because if you want to say that then we should refer to the likes of Ebenezer Obe, Sir Shina Peters, King Sunny Ade, Fela Kuti and the rest. But we continue with what we can do, raising the bar every other day, until we are no more, and hoping in the end that we have touched enough lives to be deemed legends. Really. That’s how I see it.”

Speaking of legends and hoping to be seen as one after all is said and done, he explained his reason for taking long to release records. He said it’s about making music that stands the test of time and not jumping into and out of a studio with just about anything and putting it out there for people to consume.

“On this new album I’m working on a song with Sir Ebenezer Obe and of course these things take time. It was produced by and also features Cobhams. Many people in this generation might not know it. But it’s coming out soon. And so when we were done recording I reached him and said sir, would you consider coming on board to do the chorus which is actually your song, and he said why not? Of course. But you see, because of his age and the demand for such a man it took all of nine months to make that one song. And that’s not my making.

“Again, you are having collaborations and there’s a certain type of sound you are looking to get and you have to wait till the next time you are out of the country to mix and master or record somewhere. Sometimes it’s about a certain person you are trying to record with and time cannot accommodate you guys to work immediately, this also delays. Too many factors lead to the timing.

“In addition to these, I’m also busy playing at functions home and abroad and these factors also delay the process one way or the other, taking its toll on the recording. And then after all of these you still look out for the right kind of marketer who can do the right thing and get the job done and all of that, it’s always a challenge. Those things come to play. Left for me I’ll like to put out an album every year but the details involved are not always within my control. But I’ll do the best I can going forward to try and make it a bit more constant, though it’s not entirely up to me.”

On the notion that he isn’t entirely mainstream today he answers: “Well, to be honest with you I’m comfortable with it. Okay, maybe the word to use isn’t ‘comfortable’. I’ll say I’m fine with it. Yea, everyone wants their music to be popping across platforms. But having said that you have to be true yourself and choose between being real or playing to the gallery. I love everybody for what they do but I’m not everybody. And if I try to make a fool of myself by competing with people doing these type of music naturally, then I’ll sound weak and people will notice this.

“Now, that doesn’t mean I can’t do a song with Wiz Kid tomorrow. As long as it doesn’t betray my belief I will do a song with anybody. And these are the things that make you want to say maybe I’m not so mainstream.

“But in all, mainstream is relative. When Olo Mi was Olo Mi, I was mainstream. And trust me in the world once you’ve touched something you’ve touched it. So basically anything that comes from me people will always affiliate and consume duly. In addition, the ones who are already my core fans will always buy me when something drops.

“And you never know, we are still alive, tomorrow I might make more records that may become again what people want to hear. You see because there was a time Gospel music was the biggest thing in Nigeria. There was a time it was Reggae, and then Fuji, Highlife and with the emergence of Kennis Music we diverted into Afro Pop.

“These things are transient. My advice to anyone is just keep doing what you’re doing. You never really know,” he concluded.

Watch Olo Mi by Tosin Martins below:

 

The post Exclusive: I Would Have Become An Attorney General, I Am Qualified – Singer appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.