“I have never experienced it… If you have something doing that is generating funds for you, I don’t see why you should be sexually harassed.”
Rita Okoye
Singer and entrepreneur Angela Chioma John, who recently bagged an ambassadorial deal with a Chinese tech company, Ja Solar Energy Equipment, in this interview speaks on the challenges of being an entertainer and her love life among other issues.
My husband believes gospel artistes are not faithful to their husbands – Nkiru Emmanuel, gospel singer
How and when did your journey start as an artiste?
I started singing from the church and later, I contested for Nigeria Idol Season I but I wasn’t picked. However, I moved on and today, the rest is history.
How would you describe your experience so far?
Everything is cool now compared to when I started. I work hard every day for a better me. I’m not perfect but trust me, everything about Annjay is cool by God’s grace. I can perform anywhere in
the world with A-list artistes just as I have been doing in Nigeria and other countries. I’m working on a better me and everyday is for the hustle.
When did you record your first single and what’s the title?
I recorded my first single back in 2010 and it was entitled Fly High.
It’s always not easy for female entertainers to rise without being sexually harassed, have you experienced that?
No! I have never experienced it because music is all about you. If you have something doing that is generating funds for you, I don’t see why you should be sexually harassed. It’s those looking for free things that are sexually harassed. Everyone knows me as a workaholic. In fact, I started working as a journalist and making my own money from adverts at age 16 so I work for my own money and I don’t look for free productions or free song writers. And funny enough, the producers I work with are my big brothers’ friends who are also family friends.
You are a journalist turned musician. Was journalism not paying your bills?
Journalism prepared me for everything I am today. It paid but the truth is that I have many other businesses I’m doing that’s helping push my music and pay my bills. At some point I could no longer combine both careers because my hands were full so I stopped working as a journalist. Many people recognise me as a journalist in the industry so I will say my passion for journalism is intact if you ask me.
You own many businesses, how do you combine all of these with music?
I have competent staff working for me and that is because I can’t do it alone. But with the grace of God, I have been able to combine both and it is working out just fine.
What is the nature of your business?
Beauty products.
Why did you go into beauty products?
That was because I like beauty products and it’s part of my profession as a singer and model. I was doing this business even before I went into journalism but it was not as big as it is now. Annjay Products is international now. We have clients globally. Some in US, U.K., SA and Ghana. People order our products from all over and we ship to them. And guees what, our products are affordable. From our Brazilian virgin human hair, Annjay 3D Mink Lashes, hair shampoo, conditioners and many more, our products are quite cheap. I want to also use this opportunity to say that we sell top quality products; quality assurance is guaranteed.
What inspires you?
God and myself. My hard work inspires me a lot. I like beauty products too and I can spend my last kobo on them. As a teenager, if I wanted to buy any beauty product and my money was not enough, I will go into installment payment agreements with the shop and after completing payment, they would hand over what I paid for. I use quality and expensive beauty products and that’s why we sell good products.
You got endorsed by a Chinese solar company recently, how does it feel?
I feel very great about the whole thing. Working as brand ambassador for an international company as Ja Solar Energy Equipment Ltd feels good.
You are sexy and curvy, how do you maintain your God’s given beauty?
I drink a lot of water, eat a lot of fruits and a lot of vegetables as well. Generally, I watch what I eat and the time I eat. I don’t take sugar but honey. Also I don’t use strong chemicals on my skin.
What is your love life like? Are you single or engaged?
My love life is intact but not for the public because I don’t like talking about my love life on the pages of news papers. I no dey market and I’m not searching.
What do you have to say to those who look up to you?
Stay humble and be happy. If you plan to go into entertainment, make sure you have something doing to back your self up or else, you might not go anywhere.