| I can pose nude
•But will Nigerian men appreciate?
By TONY OGAGA ERHARIEFE (timbaleuk@yahoo.co.uk)
Sunday,
February 25, 2007
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•Cnaya
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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Fast rising and sexy R&B/hip-hop act, Cnaya (Cyntia Okoje),
has described Nigerian men as hypocrites.
In a chat with Sunday Sun, the Edo State-born
singer carpeted Nigerian, saying: “They get so excited
by pictures of a barely clad Beyonce, Mary J Blige or any
other foreign female singer but frown when a Nigerian girl
does the same. It is hypocrisy and I do not like it.
When they see Beyonce’s picture, they admire it and
say ‘Wow! This girl is sexy. When they see her videos
they go hot all over and are ready to die for her. But if
we do it here, they criticise us. I would love to do it; I
mean wear crazy costumes on stage but my management is not
for it and Nigerian
Men would not appreciate it.
According to her: “I bought sexy and crazy costumes
for my video but my management did not allow me to wear them.
We had to order a fresh set of costumes. I don’t really
blame our Nigerian men because it is our culture. But I want
them to know that we are in the computer age, we are in the
sex age. This is not 1957 but 2007. I believe that a time
would come when our men would start appreciating what we are
doing.”
Duped
According to Cnaya, who just clinched a mouth watering deal
with 3rd Base Entertainment, she has been singing from the
crib but she only started singing professionally when she
came to Lagos for a ‘419’ reality show that never
held.
“I was born in Uromi, the heart beat of Edo State. I
came to Lagos three years ago for a reality show. We bought
forms for N5,000 and I qualified to go into the house as a
housemate. Suddenly the organisers disappeared into thin air.
We were over 200 people that came for that screening.”
However, buoyed by the desire to succeed against the odds,
Cnaya went on to record her first single with Rhymzo.
Challenges
“After the reality TV show scam, I pulled myself together
and forged ahead. I went on to do my first single with Rhymzo.
There were a lot of disappointments along the way. I was rejected
a lot of times. There was a time they threw my CD in my face
and told me to go to hell because I had no singing talent.
I almost quit music but I learnt that I must pass through
difficulty.
“My family has been very supportive. My elder brother
has been giving me money for this project. My brother Pedro
Okoje was a frontline promoter in this country before he relocated
to the UK. So too is Don King Okoje, another elder brother.
Benita Okoje’s dad is my elder brother. Music runs in
my family.”
Inspiration
“I may drink occasionally but I don’t smoke. I
am naturally high every hour of the day/week. I do Hip-hop
& R&B. I am an easygoing person but I act crazy. I
like taking things to the limit. I sing about getting down
and the reality around me. “Komole,” the track
I did with Tic Tac is about getting down and just having fun.
My male admirers are my “skushes” and I am their
skush.”
Most painful moment
“I am from a polygamous home and growing up in such
an environment was challenging. My dad had five wives. My
mother was the last. Despite this, My dad and I were very
close. The most painful moment was when I lost him. I had
to slow down and stop school for a while.”
Love life
“My love life is personal issue. I am not a saint though.
I have had my own fair share of relationships and heart breaks.
Right now I am married to my career. No time for romance.”
Current project
She currently has a three-year-two-album-deal with 3rd Base
Entertainment in Lagos. Her debut album should hit the airwaves
anytime soon: “It has been over a year of hard work
and recording. I am set to drop my album. Tracks include ‘U
2 Hot,’ ‘Serious’ and ‘Skushi,’
dedicated to my male fans. It was produced by OJB Jezreal
and Kash 11. I want my fans to watch out. This is Cnaya for
real!”
Advice for wannabes
“They should not let their dreams die with them. They
should be focused and let nothing hold them back.” |
