I won’t pay money to perform at any show —Sey Byth

Oluwaseyifunmi Samson Micheal, better known as Sey Byth, is one of the rave of the moment in the music scene with his new hit, entitled, ‘Oluwa’. In this interview by SEYI SOKOYA, the Afropop artiste speaks about the industry and the responsibility of the government to create a sane country, among other issues. Excerpts:

 

You have been around for some time, but along the line, you kept a low profile. What would you say was responsible for this?

The thing is music requires full concentration and one has to be available for himself before one can make music. Also, when you don’t have people to invest in your craft, it will be difficult for you to push. So, I have to spend time on myself, go to school, and build my life. The music industry is not a joke, so it involves a lot of commitment. If you don’t have investors, it is going to be more difficult for you to excel in the industry. Music is all about promotion and promotion involves a lot of financing and so I think it was because of the financial aspect of it that made me lie low until the time is right.

 

So, are you saying the industry is not for artistes that are not financially buoyant?

The industry has always been the same because music is not about being talented. Take for instance, back in the days, you could use your talent to get everything you needed, people are ready to help if you are talented. Then your talent can take you to any level, but the system has changed today; we are in the generation where people make a song that can only be relevant for about two or three months. That talent is not enough.

Making music today requires more concerted effort, one has to be everywhere to be heard and social media platforms are one of the main tools. So, I think music is hard now and at the same time, it is easy too, because when you make it through music, your life will not remain the same as well as become the toast of the world. If you’re good enough, then your craft will make you shine always.

 

Is this why you are coming back?

No, I am coming back because this is what I am born to do, it is my talent. It is an in-built thing. It keeps running. I’ve been doing all I could do back from 2009 when I started with a group and it is just that there is no strength to keep pushing the songs out. And you know, every single you drop out there is just like material and once the material is out, it is a waste without pressure to make people hear it, accept and make it hit. So, I’m not coming back because I now can take my music around the world, but I’m coming by because this is my talent. I always feel empty each day I don’t do music, even though I have other businesses because music is not giving me money now. I have some streams, but it is not as many would like. Music is music and music is me. I’m going to do music forever.

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Are you from the school of thought that says if you don’t do ‹crazy› songs, you cannot get much attention?

You know we all have our style of music. We all have a way we create our songs. If you are a person that creates your song in the street way and in-between your street vibes, you have the lines that you infuse. I think people do street songs because it is easy; one can easily get attention. While I am trying to pass a message across, people want to dance. They don’t want to know if you are saying the right thing or not. Nobody wants to see you say the right thing. So, you need to have a very good budget to make a good song. I think people jump on that kind of craft because it is easy for the songs to become a hit. But if you check and balance everything, how many artistes that engage in those kinds of songs are getting international attention? Do you want to be famous? There is a difference between being big and being an international artiste. You might be big in Nigeria and people don’t know you outside the shores of the country. You might be big in Lagos State and people don’t know you in Ogun. I don’t believe in doing ‘crazy’ songs. I believe that whatever inspiration brings to me that is what I deliver to the beat.

 

So, you are not in the class of the artistes that engage in street songs?

I am a street person; I am not a rich man’s child. All of us like street songs. The street produces artistes every year. But the truth is that street songs require consistency. Street songs are widely embraced when it is released, but people just want to vibe to that song for that moment, but how about tomorrow? Look at people like Wizkid, Burnaboy, Davido, Fireboy, Joeboy, Rema, and the rest of them, they are not doing street songs and they are doing cool. The thing about street songs is that, once you get popular, people will like you, but what happens next? It is the fans of Wizkid, Davido, Burnaboy and the likes that will like you, get your song and vibe to it, and after that, what happens?

So, street songs will always keep coming. A friend told me to just continue to do my music, that it is not every musician that sings for the president. As for me, I like to pass messages with my songs. One of my songs entitled, “Giveaway” is more like a street song because I was just trying to play with words, people even thought I was talking about women and I was not referring to women. The music is about the happenings on social media. I want to create songs that will live in people’s hearts and even be able to be referred to in the future.

 

How did you discover your passion for music?

I started from the church. I attend Cherubim and Seraphim church. My grandfather happens to be Baba Aladura. So, it is in the blood. My father also sings very well. So, I started singing even from the village where I grew up. We carved bamboo into musical instruments and played music back then in the village. Music has always been something I wanted to do for a very long time. We give God the glory. It is a talent, even a family trade.

 

At what point did you take it up professionally?

I started in 2009. As I said earlier,  I was in a group. The group had me and one of my friends; we are still cool, in 2010, everyone went solo and in 2011, I dropped a single, “Tribute to Dagrin” the song was popular, then I was still in Ikorodu. Dagrin and I were friends but we were not that close when he became popular. I was in school at the university then and he was popular in Lagos. Whenever I come, he won’t be around. We ought to have collaboration, but that could not surface before the unfortunate incident happened. We used to attend shows together.

 

 What has been your greatest challenge so far?

To spread my song; if I can spread my song to the right places and get the streams I needed. So, promotion is the greatest challenge every artiste has. I don’t have any investor yet. I am doing my thing myself. I need people to invest in my career. People don’t welcome a new artiste, it is not because they don’t like you, but a lot of things are happening at the same time. We have popular comedians kit makers, and Tik Tokers, you won’t remember an artiste that is just coming up.

 

Is it true that the industry is not friendly enough?

The industry has never been friendly. When you want to collaborate with an artiste is when you will know that the industry is not friendly. From the management aspect to the artistry, and stage aspect, it is not friendly. People don’t want to talk about this because nobody wants to be called out. Nobody wants to have a bad name, but we all know that the music industry is toxic. There are some shows that you have to pay to perform as an artiste and because you want to be popular, you’ll do it. I decided not to do such. I won’t pay money to perform in any show. When my time is right, I will be called for the show.

 

 Are you satisfied with this development?

I’m satisfied. Do you know why I said I’m satisfied? Artistes are doing wonderful jobs. Shout out to Wizkid, Burnaboy, Davido, and others. These people are kings. Even though people are trying to bring complications, we all listen to all their music. You can’t tell me that you have only Wizkid’s songs on your phone, or only Burnaboy’s. We all listen to these people. Shout out to 2Face, PSquare, Don Jazzy, and D’banj. These are the people that took Nigerian music out to the forefront and make Afrobeat so important.

I also commend the family of Fela Kuti. They have made the industry go far. The Afrobeat is now everywhere. Everybody wants to listen to Afrobeats. So, there are a lot of changes if you can keep your craft to the standard. Once you bust out you are everywhere.

 

 You are all over with your new project, are you satisfied with the development so far?

The outcome so far has been mind-blowing.  The song entitled, “Oluwa”, produced by Irockclassic, is widely accepted the video shot by Frizzle & Bizzle has spread like a wildfire. Meanwhile, I am not resting my oars on this development because I have a goal. I will drop a song very soon and even my EP later this year, but “Oluwa” has raised the bar and I am grateful to God.

 

How many songs do you have?

I have recorded over 200 songs from 2009 till now, and I am not resting, because God has deposited a divine talent in me.