Wande Coal Shares His Choir Boy to Mo'hits Story, Being a University Drop Out and His Love Life
Celebrated Nigerian singer Wande Coal in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng's Chinasa Afigbo explores the intricacies of his fourth studio album, Legend or No Legend, and the dynamics of proving his mettle over a decade plus. They touched on his love life, children, music, and peers.
"With Mushin 2 Mo'hits, I brought music to the future," Wande Coal tells Legit.ng. When the singer's first album dropped in 2009, it was a breathtaking marvel that swiftly established his unrivalled skill amidst the competitive albums dominating the airwaves.
From Psquare's Danger, Da Grin's CEO, to Bracket's Least Expected, former Mo'Hits prodigy effortlessly surpassed expectations.
Source: Original
Considering his notable debut on D'banj's 2006 hit 'Why Me' and the seismic Mo'hits 2007 anthem 'Pere', 'Mushin 2 Mo'hits' (M2M) elevated him to a level of success rarely witnessed by emerging artists at the start of their careers.
According to Wande, it's not just about the music; it's about his distinctive delivery.
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"People still associate me with my other albums, even with the newly released one," he says.
"But I feel before me, there was good music, then I came into the picture with a different style and sound. I seamlessly blended English and Yoruba into my songs. It was more about the texture and my lyrical delivery. The songs were emotionally charged, and some were relatable to what the society was facing and is still facing. Songs like 'Shey Na Like This We Go Dey Dey' 'You Bad', 'Bumper to Bumper' and 'Ololufe'. The dynamics are still there, and I have been able to still keep that momentum going."
Growing up as a teenage Wande Coal from Mushin
Wande Coal, full name Oluwatobi Wande Ojosipe, was born on October 18, 1985, and did not grow up in Mushin, as many of his fans had thought. He grew up in Ijanikin with his parents and visited his grandmother in Mushin frequently until he gained admission to the university and moved in permanently to stay with the elderly woman.
"My childhood was pretty beautiful. I did the normal kids' stuff at that time. It was my grandma who lived in Mushin. So, I occasionally went from Ijanikin to Mushin to chill with her. And at that time, she was not always in the country. So, we would just be in her house. It was until I got admission into Unilag that I started living in Mushin full-time."
Music; the one thing that has added essence to Wande's life
From his early days as a chorister in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Wande embarked on a remarkable journey through various stages of musical expression.
Starting in the children’s choir, he progressed seamlessly into the teenage choir and eventually became a part of the mass choir. This complete cycle within the church allowed Wande to explore and cultivate his musical talents, shaping him into the artist he is today.
"So, when I went to Unilag, I was just singing everywhere and was just having fun, and then one day, I had the opportunity to meet D'banj and Don Jazzy when they came to the school's premises."
"My grandma impacted my life so much. I am happy that I have her. She has always loved me doing music," he continued. "It took a while for my mum; I had to convince her that it was a job for me, and this job actually pays. So, I would rather get paid and care for my family than not do anything at all."
On meeting D'banj and Don Jazzy
Meeting the two music legends at a very young age orchestrated his successful career in a twinkle of an eye and left him at the crossroads of continuing his education at Unilag or going after his passion.
"I felt like music called me at a time, so I had to pick one," he begins with a soothing, dreamy voice.
"It was either school or music. I was at my 300 level doing exams when I had the opportunity to go to America with D'banj; trust me, who wouldn't take the advantage. I mean, I was from Mushin. I had to take the opportunity in 2007 and did it with faith.
When I got to the American embassy, I had to sing at the embassy because the woman was like, you are too young. You need to go back to school, and I just sang, and she was like, please don't sing at the embassy; okay, we will give it to you, and that was how I got it. It was the most incredible experience for me at that time."
About continuing his education, after all that
"I mean, learning is always going to be compulsory for me. I went to a good school. I also feel you have to keep learning in life. I don't have a problem with going for online courses to keep it moving."
Legend or No Legend: The artist's latest album ft American rapper T-pain, Wizkid, and more
For a collection of feel-good records that cuts across borders and consolidates years of solid input, Wande Coal speaks on the inspiration behind the weighty album title.
"On Twitter, someone tweeted: 'Is it right to call Wande Coal a legend?' and there were tonnes of retweets afterward. My phone kept buzzing to the point I became shocked and curious to know what the problem was," he recounted. "
Some tweets said, "No, he Is not a legend," and others said, "Yeah, he is a legend." So I just needed to end the chaos and tweeted: Legend or no Legend, I just love making music. And that was how the title came from."
Speaking on the admirable relationship he has with Wizkid
Wande believes that what unites him and the Grammy award-winning singer is more than music and talent.
"It is a brotherly love; he will always be my brother. I love him a thousand and more percent," he reassures. "We have had this energy for a long time. We are very good friends first, and then when we get on a record, we are fire. We are organic. Everyone sees it. It's self-explanatory."
The making of one of Nigeria's greatest love songs Ololufe
In 2007, Wande Coal introduced Ololufe as the lead single from his debut album, Mushin 2 Mohits. However, the artist revealed that he had already composed this iconic R&B track before crossing paths with D'banj and Don Jazzy.
The song, which emerged after a bitter love experience, became the pivotal factor that captivated the attention of the music executive. Its melodic charm and heartfelt lyrics served as a testament to Wande's talent and ultimately paved the way for his successful career in the music industry.
"I sang Ololufe the first time I met Don Jazzy, and he was like, wow, do you have another song," he told Legit.ng.
"I needed to do something that would be different in the industry. Obviously, I was very emotional at the time when I wrote the song. I was dating somebody, and it didn't work out. The lyrics came from my innermost heart, and that's how they transcended to my fans.
"God has special people he puts in the world that go through their experiences so that they can use theirs to manifest into the world; that's what Ololufe did for me."
The Legend or No Legend hitmaker shares his take on the old cat-new cat conversation
In June, Davido caused a stir on the internet by classifying music stars in the country. His comments ignited intense discussions online when he positioned himself and Wizkid ahead of Burna Boy while referring to Burna Boy as a new cat in the industry, alongside Fireboy DML, Rema, Mayorkun, and Asake.
However, this is what Wande has to say:
"We are all in the cat family," he says. "I am an old-new cat. I am a big cat. Things like this keep coming up once you are in showbiz. I am having fun with it. We are all in the cat family. There is hyena, there is tiger, there is leopard, there is everything."
We wade into Wande's love life
Despite being a notable public figure, the Bumper to Bumper hitmaker has always been discreet about his personal life. Legit.ng attempted to delve into his romantic life to discover if there was anyone noteworthy to mention.
"Right now, there is nobody. Obviously, I have had experiences in the past. I had a long relationship, and it didn't work out. They were situations beyond my control, and I pushed for it to work. I pushed so hard for it to work," he emphasises.
"And you see in life when you push too much, and it jams you back, where it happens to be a situation where being an artist is also a disadvantage. You know, in the Yoruba culture, when you say you are a musician, they look at you like, hmm, hmm. It didn't just work out. But I won't, because of that not move on with life and better myself. That's why I said, right now, I am good."
Wande discloses that he is a father of three lovely children.
"I have three beautiful kids," he spills, refusing to speak further about it. About settling down, he said, when God happens.
However, the famed pop star stays abreast of the ever-evolving music landscape and strives to keep the magical touch of what he loves.
Expressing his admiration for the latest emerging talents, he passionately highlights a list of noteworthy names, taking brief pauses to ensure he doesn't skip any of his faves. He lists Oxlade, Fireboy, Buju, Rema, Ruger, Victony, Omah Lay, Joeboy, Seyi Vibez, Asake, and lastly, with some gratitude for including her, he mentions Bloody Civilian. "She is talented. I love her music,
"I am always in touch. Like I said, I came into the music industry with a change, and I need to know what the changes are right now; so I keep in touch."
Source: Legit.ng
