Bouncing back after a seven-year break, Paul Play
Dairo recalls the medical challenge that affected his
career, writes JAYNE AUGOYE
After a seven-year hiatus, ace music producer and
artiste, Paul Play Dairo, is working towards staging a
big come back. Having dropped a total of five singles
since March, he says the response has been massive.
In spite of the seeming lull in album sales, the RnB
star who says he is up-to- beat with current trends in
the music scene, still intends to drop a ‘luxury’
album.
“The idea is basically to fill in the gap since my last
album and also sample people’s opinion. Thankfully,
the online comments have been encouraging. So far,
I have recorded 20 songs and some of them have
already been released as singles. I am currently
tidying my gospel and each track has an element of
Nigerian flavor and pop.
“The bulk of the money is no longer coming from
album sales because these songs are already online
and people are downloading them. Music business is
now streamlined to performance and endorsement. I
am still going ahead with the limited edition album
which will be expensive because that way I will be
able to control and monitor the sales and
distribution,” he discloses.
When Paul Play launched his way into the Nigerian
music scene in 1999, riding on the goodwill and
success of his late father, IK Dairo, he enjoyed solid
patronage. Within a short period, he also earned an
independent voice of his own, springing hit singles
that include Mosorire, Happy Day and Yes O!
In 2009, however, his career was threatened when he
fell ill in South Africa, while shooting some music
videos for his last album and had to be rushed to a
hospital. In his absence, the media was awash with
speculations over the nature of the illness. It was
rumoured that he had cancer, kidney failure to a
spiritual attack. Four years after, he has clearly
moved on, choosing not to dwell on the nature of the
ailment.
According to him, the near-death-experience has
taught him some lessons. He talks about a few of
them in a low tone saying, “It was taught to be
scared of God, and not to depend on man because
God is ultimate. You don’t have to trust man, but
psyche yourself that people are close to you for one
reason or quality or the other. I lost many trusted
friends during my ailment and gained a few in the
process.
“There were some who said and did things that made
me say ‘Oh, even you too’, but you know it is part of
life that when things are down you lose your friends.
Right now, I am not afraid of anything. I am stronger
and can take whatever life throws at me.”
The year 2014 is ‘Paul Play Dairo’s year’, if
indications emerging from the soft spoken artiste are
anything to go by. For one, he intends to release a
Box Set- two albums of highlife and gospel music.
The third will be RnB.
He says, “It will be a limited edition because it is
going to be expensive.I wanted an album that people
will like. That’s the reason for the long silence. My
management is considering working with a number
of new school acts like Inyanya and Wizkid. I am open
to work with any artiste, so I don’t end up being an
island in the industry. I don’t want to streamline
myself only to a group or set of people. I was taking
my time to do things right and face other things. I
have been able to keep up with the industry online
and the commendation I have been receiving ever
since is an indication that people have missed me
and want me back on the scene.”
The one-time Globacom Ambassador adds that so
much has changed since his temporary exit from the
scene. He says, “The music industry has become
saturated. Today, everyone wants to sing so there is
limited space to get the desired publicity. But
artistes who have pedigree will always fit in, no
matter what friends,” he explains.
While many artistes of his time, have found it rather
difficult to fit into the scene after being away for a
long time, Paul Play is optimistic that his fans will
embrace his return and warm up to him. He hinges
his belief on the fact that Nigerians now embrace
indigenous music when compared to the past.
“If you say it is difficult to come back and then give
up things will pass you buy. If the likes of Lionel
Richie and Stevie Wonder have stood the test of
time, why label yourself as old school? With a good
pedigree, people will respect you and with God you
can still make a comeback. I don’t intend to stay in
music for a long time,’’ he notes. www.oseni9ja..com/2013/11/friends-deserted-me-when-i-was-sick.html?m=1

I will b glad 2 av u back on screen. Welcome back 2 d nigerian music industry.