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The music industry has been described as a world of dreams where dreams can die just as soon as they were born. While some dreams come true, some never did and this story is better told by upcoming artists who are consumed by the competitiveness of the industry and lack of support.
But for Upcoming Jos-born Afrobeat singer, Emmanuel Andrew better known as Mulla Rae the story is different even though he never had any support.
“Between me and you, I would say that I love the competitiveness in the industry. This is because it ensures that I would always demand more of myself and push past mediocrity to do excellent work. My plan on staying relevant is quite simple: leverage on my strength. My strength lies in my songwriting skill. No disrespect to anyone but I am not one of those artistes that would pad lyrics in a song even though they don’t make sense and align with the song’s message,” he remarked with pride.
“I consider myself a storyteller and music is the platform by which I tell stories. So, there’s always coordination from the Solo 1 to the Chorus to the Solo 2 or 3 in my singles. Every line has a meaning, just as every word has a part to play in the whole song. If you doubt this, you can always listen to “Wanted” , my first single. I believe this sets me apart from my contemporaries as music loving Nigerians would always appreciate music that are of excellent songwriting.
Mulla Rae also disclosed that besides the leverage that his songwriting prowess provides, his music is beautiful because it’s a mix of catchy hook lines, melodious tunes and a soft-paced voice.
“For me, good music is music that is enjoyable. Any song that has a clear message and still forces the body to break into a dance is good music in my books,” he stated.
Mulla Rae grew up in a music environment where he was influenced first, by Western music, mostly Hip-hop and R&B and then by local indigenous songs by artists like Fela, Sunny Okosun, Majek Fashek, Daddy Showkey and others. As he advanced in age his love for music grew and was thoroughly shaped by the prevailing dominance of Afrobeats which endeared artists like Tuface Idibia, D’banj, Wande Coal, P-Square, Olu Maintain, amongst others to him.
He was born on the 23rd of December 1994. He was born in the city of Jos in Plateau State, hails from Kogi State. He was raised in a Christian home and spent his childhood living in Lokoja before moving to Lagos where he grew up.
The independent artist who is not signed to any record label considers artistes like Tuface Idibia, Davido, Burna Boy, Wizkid, Olamide and Omah Lay as his role models in the industry even though he admits he is yet to have a mentor.
Mulla Rae said he started music by composing his own songs in his bedroom. According to him, he was sixteen then.
“I would sit down to write songs on a notepad, spending hours in the activity. I must confess that it didn’t come easy at first but with time I became better. Moreover, I started stage practicing by singing in front of the mirror before I graduated to performing at school events and shows in my community,” he revealed.
After his debut single “Wanted” that established him as an artist of promising potential, he has gone on to release more songs like “Your Matter Ft Teni”, “For You” and “Run”.
