Oteya celebrates 20 years in the industry
UNDOUBTEDLY one of the lifebloods of the music industry, Oteya has decided to still be a reckoning force in the game. Celebrating 20 years of being a musician is no small feat, especially when the cards are stacked against you, but she has stayed true to herself while entertaining the nation and beyond.
Speaking to unWrap.online recently, Oteya says that she cannot believe that time has passed by so quickly. “The first thought is, how time flew by so quickly. I still remember the day I first joined my first group ‘Dungeon Family’. The memory is so vividly clear to me as if it only happened yesterday,” she said.
Oteya gave her two cents about the industry saying that distribution networks have drastically improved.
“The marketing of oneself through social media has made it easier to reach a wider audience as compared to a few years back where one was dependent on radio stations, newspapers and TV alone, the bad part of our industry is we are not prepared for the digital era, so whilst the rest of the world is making money through digital platforms, our industry is still struggling to make money from it,” she said.
Asked about her most memorable moment through her 20-year tenure as a musician, Oteya says that there are too many songs to mention, which include six albums and too many videos. “My best memories are so many, but if I can name a few then it will have to be when Gal Level performed at a packed stadium in Burkina Faso. As Oteya, sharing the same stage with my childhood favourite RnB group Boyz to Men,” she added.
The mother of two never seemed to be involved in major drama or industry beef saying that she pays more attention to her work rather than giving her energy to groupies and keeps her circle small.
The award-winning singer mentioned that she did not make any huge mistakes because she had always been under a record label. “Together, we would always discuss everything and every decision we have made has always been calculated,” she said.
Speaking of her foes in the industry, Oteya says that competition is good and it keeps her creative. “Without competition, one will be too relaxed and less inspired and my advice to upcoming artists is to take their creative work as a business. Never mix business with friendship, it will only cost you in the long run,” she said.
Oteya ended by meaning to celebrate this year with a concert, but the pandemic had ruined the possibility of such an event happening, otherwise she also gave birth to a baby girl which also kept her pre-occupied, but she promises to celebrate her 20 year run in the industry next year.