Precious John, popularly known as Presh is one of the duo that made the popular singing group, KC PRESH. The two young men recently announced their desire to go their separate ways and this raised some dust, with some people attributing their break up to different reasons. Presh, in this interview with Tunde Ayanda speaks on why he and his partner broke up, his career as a solo artiste and what he hopes to achieve with his music. Excerpts:

Let’s start from the beginning, how did you get into music?
I actually loved singing, but I must be honest with you that I wasn’t really a singer at the beginning. What inspired me was something that happened in our church back then, this is what I’ve never told anybody.

One day, after we finished in church where I was a chorister, someone came to me and asked me to sing for him privately. And I did. Unknown to me, while I was singing, our lead vocalist in the choir then, who happened to be a lady was making fun of me.

She said ‘why would that man single out this frog-voice when there are angelic voices in the church’.

At first, our plan was to beat the hell out of her, probably in a public place based on our background then, but something just reminded me that if we beat her, she will still have her sweet voice and nothing can take that away.

So, I decided to become her friend and learn how to sing and I know she was the first person that actually tutored me indirectly.

Let’s start from the beginning, how did you get into music?
I actually loved singing, but I must be honest with you that I wasn’t really a singer at the beginning. What inspired me was something that happened in our church back then, this is what I’ve never told anybody.

One day, after we finished in church where I was a chorister, someone came to me and asked me to sing for him privately. And I did. Unknown to me, while I was singing, our lead vocalist in the choir then, who happened to be a lady was making fun of me.

She said ‘why would that man single out this frog-voice when there are angelic voices in the church’.

At first, our plan was to beat the hell out of her, probably in a public place based on our background then, but something just reminded me that if we beat her, she will still have her sweet voice and nothing can take that away.

So, I decided to become her friend and learn how to sing and I know she was the first person that actually tutored me indirectly.

What is music to you?
Music is my life, joy, fulfilment and it is that thing that keeps me going.

You have been singing professionally since you won in the Star Quest show, what are the things this career has brought to you?
There are lots of advantages being a musician and it is like you stand out to be a man of the people, by the people and for the people. This career has brought me what even money can’t buy, that is, for people to walk up to you and tell you that your song, your story changed their lives, that makes me feel like John the Baptist.

Judging from your flamboyant lifestyle, people tend to believe you do other things aside music, do you have other interests outside music?
Whatever I have, I got from doing music. Honestly, it’s just an organised thing. I am a fashion person, not because I’m crazy about fashion, but I like blending stuffs that will make me feel okay and when this happens, people tend to believe you are now making big money. Mine is not just buying clothes, but the way I wear them and that brings all this ‘beliefs’.

Then coming to the place I’m living, you all know that I came from Ajegunle, we lived and grew up there. What people don’t understand is our aspirations and dreams. I was in the ghetto, we lived in the mud, it was face-me-I-face-you, not a flat. I knew how it feels to come out of your door and your neighbour is spitting, not minding your presence.

I had been in that hard life, morning fights, breaking bottles, police raids, but what I aspire for was not that kind of life. My parents were poor and I won’t blame them. Life is not the same with everybody. The only thing I know is that when you are in the ghetto, it sharpens you.

Ghetto is more than a hundred teachers, because you have a first class experience of hard life.

You desire a kind of lifestyle and when you have it, people make mistakes and wag their tongues, but I don’t care.

I grew up in Ajegunle and you all know that there are raw talents in these ghettos and you can never see a ghetto guy that made it and wants to go back to that hard life, so that’s why I’m planning myself accordingly, because I don’t want to go back to that ghetto.

I don’t want to raise my children there and with that, I owe nobody an apology because I’m working hard for a better life.

Your musical success, what will you attribute it to?
I attribute it to hardwork and diligence because we all do music for different reasons. Some people do music because they want to be heard on radio and TV, some do music because they want to have for themselves a class of girls and you can’t do that except you are popular.

Imagine the day I won Star Quest that night, a girl came out from the crowd, someone I’ve never seen in my life and said ‘Presh, I love you’, imagine that?
We all have different reasons for doing music, I do music because I find joy in it, back then I was in the choir and went to every competition. Music is what I did for joy and I’ve dreamt of going professional and when Star Quest came, it was an answered prayer from God. It was not easy over the years, but we have been focused and we thank God for that.

Your former partner, KC released a solo track recently, what are you working on at the moment?
I just released a single entitled: O bad, where I featured Ice Prince, it just came out and I’m also working on something very hot at the moment.

Your break up with your partner, kc, has raised a lot of dust, with many saying your break up was due to KC’s marriage, let’s hear from you?
From me to you and to everybody, we just decided to do a solo thing, we are still, KC PRESH, just like Black Eyed Peas, but Presh is doing his thing and KC is also doing his thing. You’ll hear from KC PRESH.

So, there was no misunderstanding whatsoever?
I still talk to him now. When he travelled, we communicated on phone. I tell him whatever I want to do and we still ask ourselves, ‘whats up’, we might be doing our things separately, but there is no problem. And this one that people said because he got married, Jesus! If your friend got married, you should be happy for him, don’t I want to get married too?

What will you miss from your working relationship?
You know we used to do things together, we didn’t fight, but just agreed to do our things separately, we have been together for 12 years, so definitely, we will miss one or two things we do together.

How did you meet KC?
It was in a church where I was the music director and he was the choir master, we were always organising concerts in Olodi Apapa, Ajegunle,  and we always end up winning the prizes. I was in a group before, the Genesis, it was an acapella singing group, fantastic guys, we were into singing melody, harmony. I missed everybody but you know there are times you have to sail the boat alone. I met KC in the church and we went for Star Quest together, which we won.

What were the early challenges you faced?
Not having money to do some things and again, movement was a very big challenge, you can imagine entering public transport and two or three of us lapping each other. Sometimes, you stay from morning till evening without eating. I thank God for KC’s mum in those days, because whenever we got back, she would just arrange something for us to eat, may God bless her, theirs is a wonderful family.

Apart from your own music, what other music do you listen to?
I listen to a lot of music, from my fellow musicians, I listen to Tuface, P-square, D’banj, Wande Coal, Wizkid, Banky W, Eldee, Chocolate city boys etc. I like listening to Nigerian songs so I can be in tune.

The music industry in Nigeria, what is your assessment?
We are not there yet, but we are getting there, we are moving very fast, I wish the government can just help build the industry.

What determines your fashion sense, is it because you are a musician?
The funny aspect is that what we wear on TV is different from what we wear on a daily basis.

You know when you are doing something in the ghetto in a small form and you now have little money to buy one or two things, you know there would definitely be a change.

In the ghetto, you mend what you can mend. Fashion has always been there and we thank God we can afford some things now, we can now travel, buy clothes, wear designers of your choice, that’s it.

It’s not about being a musician, even in the videos, we don’t wear that much, fashion has always been something we cherish.

You are a musician and you are still single, how do you cope with your female admirers? They are my friends now! its just hi, hello, bye, well done.

Nothing beyond that?
Unfortunately, I don’t do that, thank God for the church, I don’t do that.

You are on the list of most eligible bachelors...

(Cuts in) don’t count on the list for long, anytime soon, I might drop out of the list.

Is there someone in the picture?
I won’t comment on that o. I dont want to talk about my love life.

What are your likes and dislikes?
I hate liars, I hate deception, because I trust people easily, that’s one of my virtues.

Can you recall any memorable experience?
It was one of the Europe tours back then when the girls were shouting that they wanted to carry us.

Did they succeed?
For where? It was just embarassing after dancing and people now came to you that they wanted to carry you.

For someone who worked so much, how do you relax?
I hardly relax. Though, I am a movie person, I love watching movies, I club once in a while when its necessary. I don’t smoke and I don’t drink, I’m just a social drinker and I don’t condemn whatever anybody does. I’m not against it, it’s just that I don’t do it, I hate being in a state where I can’t control myself.

Tell us about growing up.

There are certain things I won’t divulge now, but I grew up as the first child of my family, I’m the first boy, I have four other siblings. I grew up in the ghetto in Olodi-Apapa, Ajegunle. We used to live in a face-me-face-you apartment, one room before God changed our story.

I did my primary school in Zumratul primary school, Adeolu Secondary School, I gained admission into a higher institution but I had to pull out because there was no money and now that I’m making money, it’s not easy going back because I made the money suddenly, but I’m determined to go back.

Music is my life, joy, fulfilment and it is that thing that keeps me going.

You have been singing professionally since you won in the Star Quest show, what are the things this career has brought to you?
There are lots of advantages being a musician and it is like you stand out to be a man of the people, by the people and for the people. This career has brought me what even money can’t buy, that is, for people to walk up to you and tell you that your song, your story changed their lives, that makes me feel like John the Baptist.

Judging from your flamboyant lifestyle, people tend to believe you do other things aside music, do you have other interests outside music?
Whatever I have, I got from doing music. Honestly, it’s just an organised thing. I am a fashion person, not because I’m crazy about fashion, but I like blending stuffs that will make me feel okay and when this happens, people tend to believe you are now making big money. Mine is not just buying clothes, but the way I wear them and that brings all this ‘beliefs’.

Then coming to the place I’m living, you all know that I came from Ajegunle, we lived and grew up there. What people don’t understand is our aspirations and dreams. I was in the ghetto, we lived in the mud, it was face-me-I-face-you, not a flat. I knew how it feels to come out of your door and your neighbour is spitting, not minding your presence.

I had been in that hard life, morning fights, breaking bottles, police raids, but what I aspire for was not that kind of life. My parents were poor and I won’t blame them. Life is not the same with everybody. The only thing I know is that when you are in the ghetto, it sharpens you.

Ghetto is more than a hundred teachers, because you have a first class experience of hard life.

You desire a kind of lifestyle and when you have it, people make mistakes and wag their tongues, but I don’t care.

I grew up in Ajegunle and you all know that there are raw talents in these ghettos and you can never see a ghetto guy that made it and wants to go back to that hard life, so that’s why

I’m planning myself accordingly, because I don’t want to go back to that ghetto.

I don’t want to raise my children there and with that, I owe nobody an apology because I’m working hard for a better life.

Your musical success, what will you attribute it to?
I attribute it to hardwork and diligence because we all do music for different reasons. Some people do music because they want to be heard on radio and TV, some do music because they want to have for themselves a class of girls and you can’t do that except you are popular.

Imagine the day I won Star Quest that night, a girl came out from the crowd, someone I’ve never seen in my life and said ‘Presh, I love you’, imagine that? We all have different reasons for doing music, I do music because I find joy in it, back then I was in the choir and went to every competition. Music is what I did for joy and I’ve dreamt of going professional and when Star Quest came, it was an answered prayer from God. It was not easy over the years, but we have been focused and we thank God for that.

Your former partner, KC released a solo track recently, what are you working on at the moment?
I just released a single entitled: O bad, where I featured Ice Prince, it just came out and I’m also working on something very hot at the moment.

Your break up with your partner, kc, has raised a lot of dust, with many saying your break up was due to KC’s marriage, let’s hear from you?
From me to you and to everybody, we just decided to do a solo thing, we are still, KC PRESH, just like Black Eyed Peas, but Presh is doing his thing and KC is also doing his thing. You’ll hear from KC PRESH.

So, there was no misunderstanding whatsoever?
I still talk to him now. When he travelled, we communicated on phone. I tell him whatever I want to do and we still ask ourselves, ‘whats up’, we might be doing our things separately, but there is no problem. And this one that people said because he got married, Jesus! If your friend got married, you should be happy for him, don’t I want to get married too?
What will you miss from your working relationship?
You know we used to do things together, we didn’t fight, but just agreed to do our things separately, we have been together for 12 years, so definitely, we will miss one or two things we do together.

How did you meet KC?
It was in a church where I was the music director and he was the choir master, we were always organising concerts in Olodi Apapa, Ajegunle,  and we always end up winning the prizes. I was in a group before, the Genesis, it was an acapella singing group, fantastic guys, we were into singing melody, harmony. I missed everybody but you know there are times you have to sail the boat alone. I met KC in the church and we went for Star Quest together, which we won.

What were the early challenges you faced?
Not having money to do some things and again, movement was a very big challenge, you can imagine entering public transport and two or three of us lapping each other. Sometimes, you stay from morning till evening without eating. I thank God for KC’s mum in those days, because whenever we got back, she would just arrange something for us to eat, may God bless her, theirs is a wonderful family.

Apart from your own music, what other music do you listen to?
I listen to a lot of music, from my fellow musicians, I listen to Tuface, P-square, D’banj, Wande Coal, Wizkid, Banky W, Eldee, Chocolate city boys etc. I like listening to Nigerian songs so I can be in tune.

The music industry in Nigeria, what is your assessment?
We are not there yet, but we are getting there, we are moving very fast, I wish the government can just help build the industry.

What determines your fashion sense, is it because you are a musician?
The funny aspect is that what we wear on TV is different from what we wear on a daily basis.

You know when you are doing something in the ghetto in a small form and you now have little money to buy one or two things, you know there would definitely be a change.

In the ghetto, you mend what you can mend. Fashion has always been there and we thank God we can afford some things now, we can now travel, buy clothes, wear designers of your choice, that’s it.

It’s not about being a musician, even in the videos, we don’t wear that much, fashion has always been something we cherish.

You are a musician and you are still single, how do you cope with your female admirers? They are my friends now! its just hi, hello, bye, well done.

Nothing beyond that?
Unfortunately, I don’t do that, thank God for the church, I don’t do that.

You are on the list of most eligible bachelors...

(Cuts in) don’t count on the list for long, anytime soon, I might drop out of the list.

Is there someone in the picture?
I won’t comment on that o. I dont want to talk about my love life.

What are your likes and dislikes?
I hate liars, I hate deception, because I trust people easily, that’s one of my virtues.

Can you recall any memorable experience?
It was one of the Europe tours back then when the girls were shouting that they wanted to carry us.

Did they succeed?
For where? It was just embarassing after dancing and people now came to you that they wanted to carry you.

For someone who worked so much, how do you relax?
I hardly relax. Though, I am a movie person, I love watching movies, I club once in a while when its necessary. I don’t smoke and I don’t drink, I’m just a social drinker and I don’t condemn whatever anybody does. I’m not against it, it’s just that I don’t do it, I hate being in a state where I can’t control myself.

Tell us about growing up.

There are certain things I won’t divulge now, but I grew up as the first child of my family, I’m the first boy, I have four other siblings. I grew up in the ghetto in Olodi-Apapa, Ajegunle. We used to live in a face-me-face-you apartment, one room before God changed our story.

I did my primary school in Zumratul primary school, Adeolu Secondary School, I gained admission into a higher institution but I had to pull out because there was no money and now that I’m making money, it’s not easy going back because I made the money suddenly, but I’m determined to go back.