MY SCARIEST PERFORMANCE YET: PERFOMING TO 2BABA

I grew up a tuface fan, I remember my dad bringing home his album and playing it so much that I knew the lyrics to most of the songs in just a few days. Almost every artist in the last decade was inspired by the legend that is 2baba, so I’m sure you can imagine why my scariest performance would involve him.

When I write about my performances I always have to reiterate that performing scares me a lot. It doesn’t look like it when I’m on stage but the few moments before I get on stage are always filled with prayers of “Father if it be thy will let this cup pass over me”.
I was booked to perform at the ten year anniversary of Buckwyld N Breathless, a huge concert set up by 2baba and his manager Efe Omorogbe. This was in December 2020 just before I released my first single under my management team. My manager believed that performing the song to all the industry folk and the crowd at the concert would help garner support for its release a few days later and she was right. I was petrified for two reasons, it was a new song that I had never performed before and she wanted me to perform in an outfit that would make a statement before I even begun to sing…A bathrobe and some really short shorts

I am not an adventurous person when it comes to fashion so I was far from comfortable with the look picked out for the performance, I however resolved to close my eyes and pretend the crowd wouldn’t notice how weird my outfit was and just focus on giving them a great performance.
Upon getting to the venue I noticed the audience was filled with people I looked up to from the entertainment industry, everyone from 2baba to Banky W, to Rugged man and even Sam onyekwelume (MD of trace Naija). I’m not proud to say I suffered my first ever panic attack instantly.

I’m the biggest Rugged man fan, most of the artists in the crowd provided the basis for what my generation of artists currently do, imagine performing your first official single to the people who’s music you grew up on?!
When it was time to perform I begged the crowd to be merciful as I was terribly nervous being in front of all this greatness, once I begun to sing I felt better and I became even more comfortable when I heard a familiar voice singing along!!!
2 Baba was singing along to my song!!! As soon as he did the entire room seemed to take a cue from him and they became the most receptive audience I have ever had.

After my performance 2baba sent for me and shared some much needed words of wisdom and encouragement, I just kept smiling and staring at him thinking “My God I’m really standing next to 2baba!!!”. He was so warm and nice it felt absolutely.

A few months later I met him again at a birthday celebration he was billed to perform at, when I greeted him he recognized me immediately and said “Oba!!! How far naaa!!!” The fact that 2baba remembered me and my song means the world to me and I won’t stop working until I create such a memory for another artist.