1 Sept 2013

Blonde hair is my signature look —Saeon

Saeon
Seun Oni is back! Popularly known as Saeon, the up-and-coming artiste took a break from the music industry to reinforce her act.  Rebranding with two hit singles, ‘Awada erekere’ and ‘Nek unek’ she shares her experience in this interview.


You were absent on the entertainment scene for a while, what happened?

I have been in the industry for about a year and a half as a professional musician but this year, I took a break to understand and study the industry as well as to rebrand my image and sound to fit the Nigerian crowd. Now, I am back in the music industry with a new sound and a new look.

 Who produces your songs?

I own a company that specialises in producing theme songs, jingles and voice over and I am going to eventually branch out into merchandising. I have two singles on radio, one is called ‘Awada Erekere’ a sexy R & B song, and the other is called ‘Nekunek’ an up-tempo type of song designed for clubs. ‘Nekunek’ is a Calabar word that translates to ‘dance’.

Before your comeback, what stage were you?

I have only been in the industry for a year and a half. I started last year January by doing the cover to Brymo’s ‘Ara.’ That jump-started my career because when Brymo released it on the airwave, a lot of people loved it. From there, I did a song called ‘Life,’ shot the video and also did another song called ‘Jara.’ Last year, I performed at the ‘Koko’ concert with D’Banj. Again, I was nominated as the Best New Artiste at the Nigerian Music Video Awards 2012.  Also, I performed a tribute to Whitney Houston at ThisDay Awards and at the Arise Magazine Fashion Week before going to Angola to perform for the Nigerian Ambassador there.  I gained a lot of ground last year but I have realised that my sound is very international and there is a need for me to embrace the Nigerian audience and get the right sounds that appeal to them.

Which sounds do you think will appeal to them?

I sing Rhythm and Blues but I dabble into a lot of other genre.   I have no limitations; I am able to channel myself to Afro pop or any genre of music I find myself in. I know Nigerians are used to upbeat tempo from artistes and I know there is also a revolution that is going on in the Nigerian music industry. If you notice, most songs are now getting a bit slow, nobody is really doing that up-tempo beat. It is going to take a while for Nigerian music to evolve to that good music that we should produce as opposed to just making noise. But gradually, with the likes of Burna Boy doing his own sound which is not necessarily the fast sound, one is able to cater for the Nigerian crowd. I see artistes like Wizkid also toeing that path.  Lately, Timaya, who had a background in R &B before going to upbeat tempo, is returning to his roots. We need to actually make good music that will last for all time and not just for two months.

How do you intend to make yourself unique?

I intend to start with my outlook. The  first thing you notice when you look at me is  my blond hair, which is a bold look and enables people to recognise me from some meters away without seeing my face.  My brand is ultimately sexy tomboy because I am trying to create a balance between being sexy and being a tomboy.

What collaborations have you done so far?

I have done quite a few collabos and I have more coming up. I cannot mention the name but I have two lovely songs that will shake the Nigerian music industry soon.

Have you also written songs for any artiste?

Yes. I have written a song titled ‘Repete’ for Black Magic. I am also working on some new artistes that are about to launch their careers.

Which artiste do you see as a role model in Nigeria?

I like Tuface, he is very versatile, humble and successful and a lot of people toe his footsteps. I love Tiwa Savage and also respect her music.  She is a great artiste with an amazing voice. There are times people compare my sounds with hers.

Can you assess the performance of Nigerian divas?

We are coming up. Before, there were just a few female artistes in the industry including Asa and Sasha to name a few. But now with Tiwa Savage, Omawunmi, Sheyi Shay and others, we are definitely coming up and the boys would be scared of us.

What are your expectations of the two singles you released?

By God’s grace, I am going to win awards with those songs. I am still promoting the songs, taking them to other radio stations outside Lagos. I am also preparing to shoot the video. I will take them to the whole of Africa eventually. Music is my baby so I have to push it with everything I have got.

Are you signed onto any record label currently?

 No. I am an independent artiste.

Being independent cost a lot of money, how do you generate funds and how much have you spent so far?

I generate funds from my company as well as from my family members. I have spent between N7 and N10m.

The frustration in the industry is piracy, how are you scaling that hurdle?

There are different measures that are being taken. I know that Nigerian artistes and record labels are more aware of the need to have a structure. Normally, you are meant to make money from sale of CDs, stage performances and endorsements but in Nigeria, income does not come from CD sales. Maybe with the increasing awareness, artistes can now make money from their songs, depending on their popularity.

Define your style

Style, for me, is an outward expression of oneself. My style is sexy tomboy and my blond hair is my signature look. My favourite fashion accessory is my earpiece and I love wearing wedges and sneakers.

Are you in a relationship?

Sometimes.

Which celebrity do you have a crush on?

There was a point in time I had a crush on Flavour Nabania. He has an amazing body and a significant waist line but outside the industry, I have a crush on Lance Cross—a model.

How was growing up like?

 I am from Oyo State, from a family of seven. We all grew up in FESTAC town Lagos and growing up was fun. We sang together and people called us the Oni family singers.  I have a master’s degree in International Relations with a focus on counter-terrorism from the University Of Warwick, England.

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