Afro pop singer, Doyinsola Akinola, has been rocking the music industry with her songs for more than three years, but suddenly, she was off the radar. Weeks back, the singer, who became a mother recently after suffering miscarriages for years, has been sharing her story to inspire many others. Married to her long-time manager, Femi Fada, the singer, in this interview with SEGUN ADEBAYO, speaks on her music career, family and experience as a mother.
MANY people were surprised at what you went through before and during pregnancy, what inspired it?
I am most grateful to God for giving me the grace to be called a mother. I made a promise to Him in my moment of trials that I would in my little way share that testimony to everyone that cares to listen. I got pregnant the first month after I got married, but while I was looking forward to becoming a mother, it ended in miscarriage. I actually battled recurrent miscarriages after then. I had more than three miscarriages. So the story I shared was just my way of appreciating God and inspiring others going through same challenge. So when I had my son, I knew I had to just keep that promise to God.
You are now a mother; an experience you claimed you have always looked forward to. What is the feeling like?
The feeling is surreal. It’s not something I couldn’t explain now, and it’s the best feeling ever. It comes with so much responsibilities, challenges, sleepless nights and a lot more. Being a first time mum, I don’t have it all figured out but trust me, I am enjoying every bit of it, learning every day, bonding with my child and I guess I am adjusting to the new lifestyle.
You are one of the few artistes married to their managers. How were you able to keep it simple?
I call him ‘husbmanager.’ He believes so much in me and my talent. He has always been supportive of me and he even pushed me to go for my first music audition back in 2006. We got married along the line and we decided to keep it simple because at that time, it was the right thing to do.
What was it like saying yes to a man who probably would have come as just a manager and not a lover?
He was my best friend and still is. Saying yes to him was one of the best decisions I have ever made. He manages all affairs very well.
You dropped a couple of songs last year and you went off the radar. What happened?
That was one of the sacrifices I had to make on the journey to motherhood. I wanted to enjoy every bit of it and I sure did. Although I was working behind the scene, I was able to record a couple of songs and my latest, ‘Be Mine’ was one of them. It was an experience that I would cherish for a long time. The joy of motherhood is something many people look forward to and I am glad to have experienced it.
Looking at the journey so far, would you say you are living your dreams just yet?
So far so good, but I understand that things can only get better and we won’t stop pushing.
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But your music career is not where it should be, do you see it like that?
Yes, I am not where I want to be. The truth is that even when I get close to it, I’ll still work like I am just starting.
Less than a month that you welcomed your son, you are releasing another song again, don’t you think you are rushing yourself
I am not rushing myself. The baby has arrived and we are happy to have our baby. But I have to get back to work now because nothing should stop or kill the passion and dream to keep your fans entertained. I don’t think motherhood should stop me from doing what I love doing. Work has started and I am on work mode already. Time waits for no one. I can’t wait to start getting shows again. I can’t wait to thrill my fans on stage again. The break is over. I am back, stronger and even better.
So you are ready to go on music tours and performances as a nursing mother?
I am very much ready. In fact, as soon as I return home, I intend to start performing immediately. As I am speaking with you now, I have been booked for some shows for this Christmas and I can’t wait to rock the stage.
Of all the females in the industry, you seem to be the most underrated. How do you react to this?
The truth is as much as I was enjoying my music career, I was also worried about my family life, particularly all the challenges I was having with miscarriages. It was also a big factor for me those times. Music was my escape not to feel depressed. But now that my son is here, I need to feed him and give him the best of life. So, the aggression you are looking for will soon be found by the people.
How are you going to cope with baby’s duties and being a wife now that you are likely to get busy?
I have always had an amazing support system with my manager. We are also going to be building a stronger team capable of dealing with what I need to do to push my career further. We have a strategy in place we believe will deliver the results we want
You are also into fashion. What is happening to that dream now?
That has always been my childhood dream and my fashion business is also growing. I now have clients all over the world. I will be leveraging on my growing popularity to also grow the fashion business. It is the fashion business money I’ve been using to sustain myself while out of the country as we kept on doing business during the period I wasn’t able to sing. But, of course, I was recording in the studio.
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