JodieSinger Joy Odite, aka Jodie, speaks with’NONYE BEN-NWANKWO about her hit song Kuchi Kuchi and her participation in the Idol West Africa music reality show in 2008
About Kuchi Kuchi
It is a playful sound we make when we are playing with babies. I am not the originator of the sound. When I was growing up, my aunties used to make that sound to their babies. It is onomatopoeic. In the song, I imagined what a mother’s love for her child should look like. The song was released in 2010. It was my first recorded single. I have not released an album ever since. People appreciate me because of the song and I feel humbled. People from different countries love the song. The song took everybody by surprise when it hit the market. I am one of those who are still overwhelmed by its success. And I wasn’t even a professional at the time. Even professionals fail sometimes. That meant I had to work harder. At a point, I wondered if I could sustain the success of the song. Some people said I would not be able to make as much impact again. They said I would never record another song that would surpass Kuchi Kuchi. I believed them to an extent. I felt there was nothing more I could do. But thank God I eventually met some people who were able to push me in the right direction. There is no end to creativity. There is always something better to do in future.
Awards
The song Kuchi Kuchi fetched me the Best Highlife Video and the Best Video of the Year awards. I don’t know music fans regard the song as highlife. I don’t want to be classified into any particular genre. At a point, I thought it was only rhythm and blues or church songs that I could sing. Now, I have seen that there is so much out there. I want to give myself some time. I used to say I am a soul singer. But I know I can do better than that. I am going to delve into as many music genres as I can. I know some people are saying it is not advisable or professional. But I want to experiment. After I have gone round, then I might decide to focus on a particular genre. Even before I released Kuchi Kuchi, I never liked it. I told my producer that it wasn’t nice. Now, I know better.
Idol West Africa
I left school in 2006. It just dawned on me that nothing was happening. I wanted something new in my life. I was just bored. I saw the advertisement on TV. I didn’t know what American Idol was. I had never watched it before. But I saw the advert about Idol West Africa and it felt like what I wanted to do. It was an international show. It was about music, which I love, and would take place in Lagos. If it were somewhere else, I wouldn’t have been able to attend. My family wouldn’t have allowed me to venture far away from home. So I decided to participate in the show. It was like a dream come true. I wanted adventure. I wasn’t disappointed that I didn’t win. I was one of the final 10 contestants. I only felt bad when I heard my mother was feeling sad that I didn’t win. Apart from that, I just wanted adventure. Finishing in the sixth position in the show was the icing on the take. The original plan was just to go and enjoy myself. I wanted something different from school, home and church. Idol West Africa provided the opportunity and I grabbed it.
Other contestants
People like Omawumi, Timi Dakolo, Eric and Jerrylin were already popular before I released Kuchi Kuchi. But I didn’t allow that to get me depressed. When you know you have something in you, you will know that your own time will come. I used to follow Omawunmi around when she was coming up with her album. She would advise me and I would listen to her. Timi is like my brother. We all have our individual visions. I thought my time was going to come earlier, but I was okay when it eventually came at the time it did.
Getting into music
I studied Mass Communication in school. But I have always known that music is my life. Gone are the days when people stuck to careers in medicine, law and engineering. I have no regret studying mass communication. One can always change his story, no matter the time in life. In 2007, after Idol West Africa, I had to go to Awka, Anambra State for my National Youth Service Corps Programme. I believe 2012 is the best time for me to release my debut album. I don’t regret any year that has passed since Idol West Africa. Instead, those years took me to where I am now. I have been recording songs all this while. But for some reasons, I just wasn’t satisfied. Some friends wanted me to collect all my songs in an album and release it. But my mind never encouraged me.
My manager and I
My manager is the CEO of DUN Entertainment. He was the one that told me this wasn’t what I should release as a debut. He is a very blunt person. For the first time, I heard somebody telling me exactly what was on my mind. I just knew my own time would come. I didn’t want to rush out just because some people wanted me to release an album. I am happy now. I am not in any competition with anybody. He is passionate about what I do.
My relationship with Sammie Okposo
Uncle Sammie has always been there for me. I used to go to him for an assessment of my works. He has been advising and guiding my steps in this journey. I was never signed on to his records label. I featured in one of his songs. This is the first records label that I am involved with.
Relating with fans
I am still Jodie. I relate normally with the people I have known. I don’t feel the difference. Nothing has changed about me. I am still very shy. I don’t allow stardom to get to my head. When the stage has forgotten you, the thing that counts is your family. Life is not totally stable. There are down times.
Relationship
I am not married. I am open to a serious relationship. I didn’t say I am not involved in a relationship at present. I am open to serious minded people. I want my life to be separate from my career. I am not chasing people who are not after me. I want serious people in my life. I want people who are godly to surround me. I am very protective of my relationship. Some people feel that singers are not serious people. I know who I am and the people in my life know who I am. I would love the world to think well of me, but I cannot manipulate the minds of people. Even if I am Mother Theresa, people will still talk about me. I spend my time on things that matter most. People can fail you. But I don’t care what people say about me. I only care about what people I love and care about say about me.
Aspiration
There are things that are more than money. I want a good name. It is more valuable than silver and gold.
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