KALINE AKINKUGBE

A triple threat, Kaline Akinkugbe is a Singer-Songwriter, Pianist and Film Composer who stands out not only for the style of her work but also her bohemian looks. A cross between jazz, R‘n’B, and Afrobeat, Kaline’s sound might not be the go to for the everyday Nigerian music lover but it’s definitely helped in expanding their sound palate and exposing them to the other side of good music.

In this interview with KONYE CHELSEA NWABOGOR, she lets us in on what to expect tonight at her soon to be annual show “KALINE- Live at Christmas” and the reason she goes with a unique sound.

thanks for your time Kaline. so where does this interview find you today? has it been a good day?

Thanks so much, it’s been an awesome day so far. right now, I’m at Terra Kulture having a sound check with my band, as we get ready to perform a 90-minute live show tonight. If you haven’t heard already, “Kaliné live at Christmas” is happening tonight at Terra arena! It’s show time in a few hours. a ten-piece band, gospel choir, dancers, lights, visuals… the works. I’m so excited.

overall, how do you think 2018 was for you and your career? What are you most excited about for the coming year? What is your one big goal for 2019?

2018 has been pretty incredible. The most exciting thing I did was nine shows over the course of the year as part of ‘The just Kaliné monthly concert series’. My seven-piece band and I (The Kraftsmen) created and performed nine distinct shows all over lagos and that definitely allowed us to rehearse more, understand each other better musically and I definitely feel that I have grown as a singer, songwriter and performer because of how consistent I had to be each month. 2019 is my year of new music. My eP is coming out in January but there is so much to come after that as well. My biggest goal is to do an african Tour. Songwriting for social change will continue to be a major avenue for me to express my opinions and create awareness for less talked about stories in our local communities as well as around the world.

has music always been a big part of your life? can you recall your first ever-musical experience?

absolutely. I have been playing the piano since I was five years old hated scales and classical music for the first few years but eventually grew to love the instrument at age nine. My first ever musical experience was playing the lead character in my primary school play called ‘The sleeping Mandarin”. I was the sleeping Mandarin…. hahaha! I had this huge finale number and I remember it so clearly.

a cross between jazz, r‘n’b, and afrobeat your sound isn’t exactly mainstream. What’s the influence behind your sound?

so many different things from my upbringing, my culture, and my experiences influence my sound. having started of classically, my music has elements of that. I remember when I first heard ‘never Far away’ by lagbaja - it changed my life and I knew that sound of afro-beat and heavy horn arrangements would become part of my sound as well. living in new york for a few years got me immersed in jazz as well but I owe my eclectic influence to my dad who was playing all kinds of music at home growing up. I knew about led Zeppelin and Jimi hendrix,

stevie wonder, Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown etc. very early on.

to someone who’s never heard your music before, how would you describe what you bring musically and what your sound and style is?

Being compared to sade, asa or being called the Female stevie wonder or The nigerian alicia Keys are all major compliments for me. There’s definitely a strong element of soulfulness in my music because that’s the kind of music I resonate with the most. Combining my voice with piano playing I guess also makes me different. what I’d like to be known for the most however, is ‘telling stories through music’. I love the fact that stories inter-woven into music is a powerful way of bringing people together and making people feel less alone.

Do you have a certain philosophy or strategy regarding composing?

when it comes to writing, I don’t really have a formula or strategy. I just try to stay in the moment and try to be in as many inspiring situations as possible. Being outdoors is probably the one place I get a lot of cool ideas for songs. That and being on the treadmill! as a composer, I get influenced by everything; life, books, culture, TV, politics, social change, love, friendships etc. The key is to be as present as possible and as honest as possible too. studying Film Music Composition at Berklee College of Music also taught me about being patient with a story and allowing the situation unfold in its time for the right music, words, melodies to flow. Composing should never be forced.

let’s talk about your show today? What are we to expect?

For one night only, “Kaliné live at Christmas” is a 90-minute unique live music experience. Joining me within the show are my good friends Isaac geralds and Femi leye. I’ve also got some other special guests performing with me. we’ve got a full production cast of dancers, a choir, and an impressive 10-piece band. I’ll be singing original songs christmas songs, cover songs (like my gospel version of ‘assurance’ by Davido *wink wink* - check it out online). every single moment has been carefully thought-out to deliver a string of unique experiences. you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll dance, you’ll think, you’ll be inspired right through this show. The lighting, visual effects and also the costuming are all details that you wouldn’t want to miss either. one of my dresses is being made

There is space for all of us, no matter what genre we choose to be in and the Nigerian music scene is beginning to embrace more diversity and authenticity.

by Toyin lawani... wait till you see it. eeeeek!! I can’t wait.

This show is a culmination of about more than 40 rehearsals and my team and I can’t wait to share it all with you as we usher in the Christmas season.

going forward, do you intend making it an annual event ?

absolutely. If there’s one thing I love the most, it’s performing and I aim to continue my monthly shows next year as well as a finale concert at the end of the year again. Which of your works has meant the most to you, either for its personal significance or the impact on your career? l think “Bring Them home” and the impact it made in creating awareness for the Chibok girls’Tragedy a few years ago is still a significant moment for me. I remember writing the song shortly after the abduction was announced on the news. My intention was to do something…anything that I could towards the story. Being so far away in new york left me sort of helpless so I wrote it to help with spreading the word about it. The song was eventually used to keep the conversation going right through the first year. It was played everyday for a year on a few radio stations and people were encouraged to dial in and just talk or pray for the girls right after the song was played. It just proved to me that there is so much power in music. songwriting for social change will continue to be a major avenue for me to express my opinions and create awareness for less talked about stories in our local communities as well as around the world.

how would you define the power of music and what is the message you aim to impart through yours?

Because music is a universal language, I believe that as songwriters, it’s a unique privilege we have to share meaningful stories that can resonate with our listeners. Music to me is about bridging gaps between people, communities, nations etc. Telling stories is a great way to remind people that they’re not alone in what they face, it’s a great way to teach, it’s a great way to entertain and just make people feel good, laugh, dance. Music is a tool for community building - something we desperately need in today’s society.

What’s your biggest struggle as a musician in nigeria

My biggest struggle is getting people to understand what it takes to put on a live concert, the amount of work, rehearsals, thought, creativity, time, energy to pull it all off. with this show tonight, we’ve worked very hard and I hope that everyone who comes tonight will appreciate all that we’ve put in. live music experiences are few and far better within nigeria but I can definitely see that the industry is evolving and very soon it will become the norm just like in most parts of the world.

how would you describe and rate the nigerian music scene at the moment?

I’m very excited about what’s happening in the music industry. To think that I recorded my first ever single with the late oJB Jezreel at a time when afropop didn’t even exist is amazing. we have evolved significantly/rapidly and this is a particularly exciting time where a lot of local artists are crossing over to global platforms and are fully holding their own. I was in south africa for the global Citizens Festival last week and our nigerian artists stole the show. There is space for all of us, no matter what genre we choose to be in and the nigerian music scene is beginning to embrace more diversity and authenticity.

What musicians have continued to inspire you and your music? What musicians would you absolutely love to work with in the future?

l have so many influences because I’m constantly discovering new musicians but the evergreen artists that consistently inspire to keep going are the greats like Michael Jackson, stevie wonder, Fela, etc. living legends of this era like Beyoncé, Coldplay, ed sheeran Janelle Monae, adele etc. are artists that I long to work with in the future. If I had to pick which nigerian artists I would specifically love to work with, it would be Flavour, wizkid, asa and adekunle gold.

Where do you see the Kaline brand in the next five years?

In five years time, I would most likely be done with my 3rd or 4th studio album, I would have two tours under my belt and working towards a bigger tour. I see myself writing a few books and making an impact through my foundation. I also envision a Kaliné musical and working on some music for a number of feature films.