Posted by By TONY OGAGA ERHARIEFE on
Fast rising and sexy R&B/hip-hop act, Cnaya (Cyntia Okoje), has described Nigerian men as hypocrites.
Fast rising and sexy R&B/hip-hop act, Cnaya (Cyntia Okoje), has described Nigerian men as hypocrites.
In a chat with Sunday Sun, the Edo State-born singer carpeted Nigerian, saying: 'They get so excited by pictures of a barely clad Beyonce, Mary J Blige or any other foreign female singer but frown when a Nigerian girl does the same. It is hypocrisy and I do not like it.
When they see Beyonce's picture, they admire it and say ‘Wow! This girl is sexy. When they see her videos they go hot all over and are ready to die for her. But if we do it here, they criticise us. I would love to do it; I mean wear crazy costumes on stage but my management is not for it and Nigerian
Men would not appreciate it.
According to her: 'I bought sexy and crazy costumes for my video but my management did not allow me to wear them. We had to order a fresh set of costumes. I don't really blame our Nigerian men because it is our culture. But I want them to know that we are in the computer age, we are in the sex age. This is not 1957 but 2007. I believe that a time would come when our men would start appreciating what we are doing."
Duped
According to Cnaya, who just clinched a mouth watering deal with 3rd Base Entertainment, she has been singing from the crib but she only started singing professionally when she came to Lagos for a ‘419' reality show that never held.
'I was born in Uromi, the heart beat of Edo State. I came to Lagos three years ago for a reality show. We bought forms for N5,000 and I qualified to go into the house as a housemate. Suddenly the organisers disappeared into thin air. We were over 200 people that came for that screening."
However, buoyed by the desire to succeed against the odds, Cnaya went on to record her first single with Rhymzo.
Challenges
'After the reality TV show scam, I pulled myself together and forged ahead. I went on to do my first single with Rhymzo. There were a lot of disappointments along the way. I was rejected a lot of times. There was a time they threw my CD in my face and told me to go to hell because I had no singing talent. I almost quit music but I learnt that I must pass through difficulty.
'My family has been very supportive. My elder brother has been giving me money for this project. My brother Pedro Okoje was a frontline promoter in this country before he relocated to the UK. So too is Don King Okoje, another elder brother. Benita Okoje's dad is my elder brother. Music runs in my family."
Inspiration
'I may drink occasionally but I don't smoke. I am naturally high every hour of the day/week. I do Hip-hop & R&B. I am an easygoing person but I act crazy. I like taking things to the limit. I sing about getting down and the reality around me. 'Komole," the track I did with Tic Tac is about getting down and just having fun. My male admirers are my 'skushes" and I am their skush."
Most painful moment
'I am from a polygamous home and growing up in such an environment was challenging. My dad had five wives. My mother was the last. Despite this, My dad and I were very close. The most painful moment was when I lost him. I had to slow down and stop school for a while."
Love life
'My love life is personal issue. I am not a saint though. I have had my own fair share of relationships and heart breaks. Right now I am married to my career. No time for romance."
Current project
She currently has a three-year-two-album-deal with 3rd Base Entertainment in Lagos. Her debut album should hit the airwaves anytime soon: 'It has been over a year of hard work and recording. I am set to drop my album. Tracks include ‘U 2 Hot,' ‘Serious' and ‘Skushi,' dedicated to my male fans. It was produced by OJB Jezreal and Kash 11. I want my fans to watch out. This is Cnaya for real!"
Advice for wannabes
'They should not let their dreams die with them. They should be focused and let nothing hold them back."