Glitz

Some people call her sexy icon, while others call her the golden girl of the music industry, owing to her blonde hair. The reasons are not far-fetched; she is hot, energetic and her stage performances are pointers to the fact that she has a lot of energy that makes her a real performer. Oluwabimpe Suzan Harvey, popularly known as Goldie  is one of Nigeria’s hottest hip hop artistes, who believes that music is not a calling but an avenue to tell a story. The Ekiti State-born singer, in this interview with SEGUN ADEBAYO, opens a private view into her life as a musician, journey through life and what makes her one of the most sought after female acts in the industry. Excerpts:

WITH just a couple of years in an industry where male acts more largely make wave than their female counterparts, you have been able to register your name on the lips of many, how did you pull that?
I did it with a lot of hard work, perseverance, personal development, the support of my fans, my record company, and my family and last but not the least, prayer. I mean loads of it.

What does the name Goldie mean and how did you come about it?
Goldie was a nickname given to me by my friends because of my skin tone (I’m a red albino) and my love for metallic things that glitter. I decided to stick to it as a stage name because I had got used to the name. Secondly, Goldie was derived from the precious metal, gold. I wanted my brand to imbibe all the qualities gold has to offer and more.

You were said to have started your music career in the UK, what was it like?
The experience, for me, was full of fun. It was indeed playful, experimental and also different. I was practising Pop Rock back then.

What childhood ambition did you nurse when you were growing up?
There was a time I wanted to be a teacher, so I could correct the mistakes I perceived my teachers were making back then...There was also a time that I wanted to be a doctor/scientist so that I could find cure for dreaded diseases such as cancer and HIV/Aids. Then, I wanted to be a writer like Enid Blyton, so I could inspire young kids the way I was inspired...

Do you have any dreadful childhood memory that shaped your thinking?
My mother’s death in the 90’s kind of freaked me out in a way. It made me to understand that nothing is permanent and that life is just not fair...

When did you decide to come home and why?
I like my country... It’s a place I understand, and even though it’s not perfect, it’s still my home.

What did you study in the UK before coming down to Nigeria?
I have a degree in Business Management from the University of Sunderland UK. BA (Hons)

What influence does your staying abroad have on your music career in Nigeria?
I’m more open minded. I guess in the type of sounds (musical production) I voice to. Also, my lyrics tend to be very Western in their delivery.

It is very unusual for a female hip hop act to gain such sudden popularity, don't you think your kind of music and weird stage performances paved the way for your quick rise?
(Laughs) There is nothing weird about my stage performances. I just have loyal fans, a good support system and obviously very good and catchy tracks.

When did you realise that singing was what you wanted to do?
When I realised I was able to express that myself and it felt just right.

You were signed on to Kennis Music label, when some of your contemporaries voiced their discomfort at the kind of the unfair treatment they got from the owners, what has been your experience?
A lot of the people who left Kennis Music are today begging to come back. People say all sorts of stuff when relationships break down, either due to over inflated egos or lack of rational understanding. When there is a tiff, it’s normal for people to want to pass blame and paint the other person black. Relationships break down, when communication breaks down. I think communication is the key. You listen to your Ceo/Management, he/they listen to you, you both have an understanding; life is good.

How many awards have you scooped since you started?
I have 10 awards in the year in review...I thank God, I thank my fans, I thank the award bodies.

Do you feel threatened by the large number of hip hop acts springing up every day?
I don’t feel threatened at all. There is more to me than what is immediately apparent. I have a lot to give as far as the industry is concerned. What I can tell you now is that, time will tell.

Some of your songs have got to number one on MTV base, yet some people say your songs are not worth it, why?
Their words come from a very hateful and spiteful place. I have learned to pay no attention to it, less their negativity seep inside me and cause me to lose focus on my goals. I’m not moved by that. The journey has just begun and you will soon find out that I have a lot to offer this industry.

Why do you like dressing provocatively on stage, don't you think such acts could mislead the up and coming ones?
I don’t dress provocatively.

Are you saying those weird dresses are not provocative?
The fact is that I’m a performer. I dress the way a performer should dress.

Does that mean every performer should dress weird?
I wear clothes that allow me free movement. When you’re on stage, you’re going to be very active and you will perspire. The last thing you need is bulky clothing that will impede your movement and restrict you from connecting with your audience. As a performer, I have to be very comfortable. I dress to be this way.

Have you ever been harassed because of this before?
I have never been harassed on or off stage. Who you are and your person is more than what you wear or what you have on. I have a ‘No nonsense and zero tolerance’ aura to such act. I guess it keeps potential harrassers at arm’s length.

Your song, ‘Mole gboko lowo e’was said to have been released to hit back at a female colleague, how true is this?
There have been so many rumours flying about because of this song. It was a song written with an intention to entertain and to inspire confidence in those who felt downtrodden and unnecessarily victimised. There was nothing more to the release of the song as against what has been said in different quarters.

What brought about the composition of the song?
I and elDee wanted to hit back at haters within and outside the industry who constantly undermine our hard work and constantly bring us down, despite our obvious efforts.

These persons are obviously envious of our work and our successes which the refrain clearly states. The chorus was the final cherry on the pie.  It was completely humorous yet challenging.

Why would anybody think that you are a husband snatcher?
I don’t think anybody would think that. Any lady, who feels that way, obviously has a very low self esteem of herself.

Some people refer to you as a sex oozing Icon, why?
I see myself as confident. Knowing who I am and what I’m capable of. Some people see my confidence as ‘sexy’. My confidence is borne out of being unique. For example, as time passed in the industry, I realised that I was the only female singer who did what I do – who had a brand attached to her name. This made me more confident.

What do you like most about being sexy?
I’d prefer my work to speak for me and not my appearance or my body. My body is only one of the several tools of self expression at my disposal. What of my mind? I want to be seen as genius not sexy.

Being a role model to the youth must have been very challenging, considering your kind of music and how you complement it with your performances, particularly on stage and in video...
It’s not challenging. I inspire confidence, that is what I do. Every youth who wants to be like me knows that first of all, has to be confident. They have to know what they want, they have to be educated, they have to be articulate, they have to be responsible, respectful and they have to know how to carry themselves in public. They have to know the right sort of men to date; they have to know the right sort of friends to keep, they have to know how to look good. It’s awesome when I see 5 year old kids singing ‘don’t touch my body’ to me. I just know instinctively that they are the mouth piece of our next generation.

How do you handle men who will stop at nothing to entice you under the pretext of love?
I have been too busy to meet or fall prey to these sorts of men.

You once said that you love romantic men?
Romance is a thing of the mind. It is unique to each individual. What I term as romantic might not be another’s definition of the word. In this instance, love is the powerful aphrodisiac that will connect me and my partner. There is no romance without love. Love comes first and then the rest can follow.

Tell us a little about your background?
I am from Ikole in Ekiti state. My mum is from Ijebu Ode in Ogun state. I am the first born of my parents. My parents are very academic, very industrious and very religious. As a first born, it was impressed upon me at a very young age, the values of being well-educated, of being hard-working; of trusting and believing in God. I attended Green Springs’ Montessori Primary school Then Saint John’s College Secondary School.

Is it true that you started having boyfriends at the tender age of ten?
No, that is not true. I didn’t even know what “to have a boyfriend” meant at that age…at that age, you’re still innocent; unsure; playful and scared of everything that isn’t.

Do you think music is your calling?
The truth of the matter here is that story telling is my calling.

What kind of story do you tell with your music?
Music is one of the many ways I can tell these stories. Secondly, as you well know, nothing is new under the sun; no story is new; it’s just how it’s told that makes the difference.