DJ Cuppy’s musical journey a big hit on the small screen

A NIGERIAN-BORN award-winning DJ, producer and songwriter,DJ Cuppy – as she is known to her fans – is set to take on Africa through reality TV.

Cuppy Take Africa is a series which airs on Fox Life Africa this month. The show follows DJ Florence, whose real name is Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola.

The series follows her experience of playing music in eight countries on the continent. “The world gets to see the true me; a young African woman juggling life’s playlist. I like to challenge myself and the tour was definitely a challenge for my team and me.”

Viewers can expect a backstage pass to Cuppy’s life. “You will be able to see how much work goes on behind the scenes of a project of this magnitude. The tour was a roller-coaster and the viewers will see that during the course of the show and see how beautiful Africa is.”

Cuppy is the daughter of billionaire oil magnate, Femi Otedola. She has recently toured Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, Benin, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and South Africa.

By the age 18, she had established her signature Afro beats and sound and became a household name, playing in London’s top nightclubs and industry events. Her 2014 album, House of Cuppy received reviews in London and New York, where she interned at the Roc Nation headquarters and also obtained a master of arts degree in music business at New York University.

Cuppy said she had memories of musical experiences from a young age. “My dad used to play music in the car, in the traffic and I remember Yellow Fever by Fela Kuti, that song made me fall in love with music.”

The 23-year-old grew up in Lagos. “I had quite an exciting and culturally diverse childhood, which allowed me to keep an open and adventurous mind.”

She moved to London as a teenager and fell in love with the international music scene. Her parents supported and encouraged her and are her biggest fans. She also keeps her Cupcakes ( as she calls her fans) updated on social media.

The singer attributes her success to God, family, friends and her fans. “I’m absolutely nothing without the group of support around me.”

She has many highlights in her career, from being the resident DJ at the MTV Africa Awards in 2014 here in South Africa, to winning the Nigerian Entertainment Award of DJ of the year, to DJing for Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari’’s inauguration.

However, the DJ has had her fair share of challenges in a male-dominated industry. She faced a lot of criticism, especially when it came to her sex. When she started DJing she used to get turned away at clubs because she didn’t fit the “norm” of what a DJ should look like. But it didn’t stop her.

The future is bright for Cuppy. “I’ve just begun my journey and I’m ready to take on the world. I believe time waits for no one so chase your dreams no matter what. I hope to have made a difference, inspired others and changed the rules.”

Cuppy Takes Africa is on every Wednesday at 9pm on Fox Life Africa on DSTV Channel 126.

sinolwazi.april@inl.co.za

DJ Cuppy