Day female fans threw under wears at me

Segun Akinlolu, aka Beautiful Nubia, a veterinary doctor turned folklore singer with numerous albums to his credit shares his over 15 years stage experience today.

When was the first time you played live on stage?

I have been performing since age nine and throughout my University days but my first performancewas in 1997 after I released my first album entitled Seven Lives and I started doing shows to promote it. One I can remember very much was a show I had at the Lagos Airport Hotel. I remember being on stage, singing and dancing and the audience was not listening to me. It was a horrible experience. I felt what I was doing was not important to them and that I was in the wrong profession. At that point I wanted to quit music and face my profession as a vet doctor but my inner mind told me to forge ahead and so I continued.

Why were they not listening to you?

I later did a self critique; I’m a very stub­born person who will not take no for an answer. I discovered that instead of singing and communicating, I was jumping onstage like Michael Jackson.

How were you able to over­come?

I put up a band and the music started evolving in a very positive way and now whenever I’m on stage it’s a different ball game entirely.

No doubt you had stage fright dur­ing your first show. Did you take any stimulant?

I have never subscribed to the idea of tak­ing stimulant or enhancement drugs though I’m a very shy person but when I’m on stage, I’m a different person entirely because I love been in front of crowds. I realised at the beginning of my career that I needed to take things easy because my sound was evolv­ing. I remember another show in Oshogbo, Osun State, in 1998. It was not good enough because I was behaving like a kid. Those who came for the show wanted to see an accomplished veterinary doctor perform but I was still jumping about like a pop artiste. From that show I knew I was not going to become a pop artiste and that helped me to discover myself.

How?

It was a gradual process of evolution. I tried to get somebody to help improve my vocal chords but it did not work. I even wanted somebody to help me in my guitar playing but it did not work and it went on and on like that. However, after my first al­bum, I knew that the music was okay but the voice was not. I started doing it gradually and here we are today.

How do you normally prepare for a show?

Like I said earlier, I don’t do drugs or stimulants. The first thing I do is prepare myself psychologically though I would have had series of rehearsals. I find out things like the kind of audience I’m playing for; whether they are young or old. Unlike other artistes I don’t have butterflies in my stomach since I know I’m playing for an audience that loves me I just go on stage to enjoy myself.

Do you treat your voice?

I try as much as I can to avoid shouting. I eat right and try to avoid oily food because it’s not good for the vocal chords. I also try to avoid smoking and take lot of water. To cap it all, whenever I’m going on stage, I always carry a small coloured bottle which some people think is my juju. It’s not juju but a mixture of water and honey which I take on stage because I do a lot of high pitch songs and this helps my voice.

What do you do 24hours before a show?

I make sure everything is in place. I check my checklist and whatever. There is no special food or anything I take and that’s why I don’t get nervous. I live my normal life at all times. I eat sometimes and some­times I don’t eat at all. However, I try to eat twice or once a day.