Foremost Music journalist, Joey Akan, has chronicled his latest interview with Nigerian artist Asa on the Afrobeats Intelligence newsletter.


I smoked with Asa...and got the best story of my career (Part 1)
By Joey Akan

One fine afternoon, I received a call to go meet Asa in her house. Here's what happened next:

“Should I light it for you?” Asa asks, blowing out smoke from her mouth, placing her luxury cigar on the table and stretching her hands to collect mine. She had earlier initiated a smoke session, accompanied by exotic tea. I had picked the leaves from a variety of options, settling for one with a pleasant aroma.

“Yes, please,” I accepted.

I watch the legendary Nigerian singer-songwriter Bukola Elemide spark up her silver lighter, puff on my cigar as the flames took hold, and wave in the air repeatedly to make the burn even. We are in her garden in Lagos, slightly sweating in the humid afternoon, as the lagoon waves splashing against her fence, punctuated the peace. The 35-year-old looks just like a saint, at peace with her blooming flowers, and sipping a golden fluid from a flask which she picked up “from my time in Portugal.”

The cigars came from Nicaragua, she explains. “It contains 3 leaves, and you shouldn’t swallow,” she says, handing it back. We sit in the silence taking puffs in unison, sipping on the tea. 

It all feels nice. As nice as her music, which has powered a generation of Nigerian creatives looking to make ‘good’ music. Asa’s true legacy is multi-pronged. She can have a shout-in as the greatest Nigerian artist of the modern era. Her catalogue is sublime and far-reaching. She can be credited as the once-in-a-generation talent that redefined what it is to make elevated music from Africa. Or, Asa ought to be bestowed her beatification as the patron saint of alternative African artists, who look to her as proof of concept for their non-conventional music. If I earn a Naira every time a hopeful musician has used “but Asa did it,” as justification for their eclectic style of music, I would make Dangote sleepless.

A soaring vocalist and masterful guitarist, Asa is a calming presence blending Parisian jazz, Yoruba folk and soul into her albums. She writes personal lyrics ranging from her love life and mental health to her extensive travels and interactions with people. In Lucid, her fourth studio album, she offers a diary of love, moving between different states of the feeling, all woven with masterful songwriting and vocal delivery.

In her garden, where she loves to hide when she isn’t working, we sit and connect. Asa talks with a sincerity that borders on child-like. Her eyes light up, and when she laughs, she talks through it, explaining in detail. She used to drive a bike around Lagos, running her errands and checking on friends. One time at the mall, with her helmet, she was yelled at by an enthusiastic security guard, who had a problem at the car park. 

“The way she spoke was very rude, very cruel. But then I enjoyed it,” she says. “I’m so insulated that it feels nice to be treated like a normal, regular person. Of course, you shouldn’t be yelling at people, but I liked it.”

We talk for hours about her albums, her tours, giving away money, and how simple life is for her. She reads huge volumes of books for inspiration, considers love the greatest human energy of all, and wears her heart on her sleeve. 

Why are you mysterious?

I think this is natural. This is who I am. I'm very errm, I don't know. I'm just me. Mysterious, I don't know. Inasmuch in music, you need to be out there and you're usually the centre of attention. You're at a concert and everyone's looking at you. I do like to live a very quiet, private life because it makes me happy. So my life on stage and as a musician is definitely very different when I'm home and not performing. And the contrast is that I'm on fire on stage and in the studio. I want to make sure I bring out something well-thought-out and present good work to the people because I know they expect that much from me. I'm the same person but I just like to really be quiet when I'm not on stage.

How does it work? The Asa on stage is extremely expressive. I attended all your Lagos concerts. I watched you perform at the Supremacy concert, then I watched you perform your concerts at Eko Hotel. Everyone appreciates the amount of Asa they get while still yearning for more. It's a fine balance. Is it deliberate?

It's just natural. I don't know. I hardly celebrate birthdays. And I'm always very appreciative when I get to perform in Lagos. I don't do that a lot but whenever I do it, I'm very happy that people came out. Some of them know me, some of them just discovered me. It's just a good thing to be before people and perform. To me, if you ask which one do I prefer, studio or stage: stage. The stage has always been my life. What I have lived for.

How about your lack of collaborations?

Yeah. I did one with 9ice, I did with Jeremiah Gyang, I've done a few. I've done some collaboration. Maybe not a lot, perhaps because of time, I'm in different places and tours. When I'm on tour, it's very hard to do other things. But I think that's changing now. Now that I can take my studio out actually on the road, so it's easier. I did stop for a bit because of some of the collaborations. I wasn't happy with the outcome. The interpretation wasn't what I expected, and it's  because I couldn't be at the studio with them to go through the whole process. I love to be part of the mixing, editing, because I know the producers also need help to understand the artist. So I did stop for a minute and said ‘you know what? I'd pay more attention and just do my own work.’

You left Nigeria many years ago...

(Cuts in) I never left (laughs)

Due to your work in Europe, your fans don't really consider you a core Nigerian artist. Do you think that's a disadvantage or an advantage for you?

I think Lagos is a place I don't want to leave. I think the last place I want to be, is not to be considered as part of Nigerian music. I think, if anything, I've always worked hard, in all my records to include home and my Yoruba songs. On each album, I must have a Yoruba song. Not only Yoruba songs, even my stories are inspired by Nigeria. The thing is that work takes me out a lot. I am in a contract with a French company, so it really does take me out a lot most times of the year and that's why people don't see me. And anytime I'm in Nigeria, I'm at home. You see that my home life is very quiet. I just want to relax and observe, not work. I love to work, but also just relax. I don't go out a lot. My life is very private and I enjoy my studio at home, I have my books. I don't want to be outside or considered an outsider. No, I've worked all my life. This is my country, this is my home, this is where I get my inspiration from.

Do you read a lot?

Oh yeah. All the time. Books are my friends. Now I'm reading a lot of non-fiction. I love history. I just started reading a book a friend recommended on Biafra. And from time to time, I read some fiction by some Indian authors. I'd read books about economics, I'd read a book about just anything that is interesting and cerebral.

Does it have any bearing on your art? The books?

Yes, it does. Because lots of the things that I read from my books, I put them in the music. I would take a line that I thought was interesting and I would add it to a song. Or I would save it somewhere for later use. And also, of course, it does make you a great conversationalist. I can talk with anybody, which is really cool with books.

Don't you consider yourself the opposite of what it means to be a celebrity, have fame and pursue the art at the level that you are? Do you think you're the opposite of what it entails?

Well, maybe. And I could be a different type of celebrity.  But I just don't. Do you see that light that flashes? It ends after I'm out of the stage. It shouldn't be that way, but that's who I am. I don't really enjoy the attention which is strange. I can be with my fans who are my friends, I would do that every day. The other side, the glitz, the paparazzi, having to get dressed and go out, I don't find it enjoyable. 




Read more at Source:
https://joeyakan.substack.com/p/i-smoked-with-asaand-got-the-best

lalasticlala mynd44 dominique

Asa ,the smoker

chiefolododo:
Asa ,the smoker

it wasn't the cheap stuff.