–Faith Liberty, UK-based Nigerian gospel singer
Christian Agadibe
Gospel music sensation, Faith Liberty, seems uncomfortable making waves only in the United Kingdom where she is based, she recently returned to Nigeria, her fatherland, to also test the waters.
With a new song laced with Pidgin English, the chartered accountant and mother of three believes it’s just a matter of time before Nigerians recognise her. In this interview, she went down memory lane and revealed how it all started. Enjoy it.
Can you give us an insight into your background?
My name is Faith Liberty. I am from Asaba, Delta State. I live in the United Kingdom. I am a Chartered Accountant and presently doing my Ph.D. Music is my passion, it has been my passion from childhood. I have been singing from the age of 10. While in the University I was in different choirs.
How does music come to you?
Most of the time, I get songs while sleeping or when I wake up in the morning. God gives me songs in my heart and I’ll write them down. Through this, I have written over 100 songs.
How do you combine music with accountancy and motherhood?
I concentrate more on my career. I write songs, sing and still do my professional work. One day, I asked myself ‘why can’t I just put these songs together and do something with them?’ I then spoke with my manager about it and that’s how we came up with the album.
What was your experience when you dropped your first album?
I did an album having about eight songs and people love them. We did the launching in the UK and more than 80 per cent of the guests came from where I have my company. Most of them were so fascinated they were like, ‘madam, how do you do this? How do you manage to run the company and still do music?’ And I said ‘the music helps me to focus and manage the company’. I said ‘because when I am happy I can plan and run the company properly. I would have a more positive result for the company’. You wouldn’t believe it; I got an amazing support from the SME that I managed. Even some of them would invite me to their churches and buy cartons of my CDs.
Some career women tend to have issues with their spouses at home; how do you cope?
The first key to safeguarding your marriage is communication; communication is very important. If you are a career woman and you are open to your husband in everything you do, your husband will see it in the interest of the family. If you are a career woman and everything you do is for you alone, I think the man would one day blow up. But if the man sees that what you are doing is for the family, I think he would support you. I have been married for 18 years and I have always had the support of my husband because I am a very open person.
Growing up, are you an extrovert or introvert?
I was a bit of extroverted not introverted. I started singing at the age of 10 in the children choir. From there I moved up to the senior choir. Even at the age of 12, I was already in the youth choir. I was a soloist and each time I sang, most men of God will prophecy saying, I am a daughter of Zion, anointed vessel and all that stuff. So, that got into my head. I was like ‘wow my voice is anointed’. Also, I would be in my house and people would come and knock saying, ‘we were directed to you that you can sing, please come and help us with this album’. In this way, I have supported a couple of albums.
What really brought you to the country?
I came to Nigeria because this is where Pidgin English can be refined. I wanted people to listen to my song and see if my Pidgin English is correct. I was privileged to have Wole Oni as my producer; he didn’t even make any corrections. He was like, ‘that is good; we don’t need to add any other thing’. We did the video shoot and everything came out fine.
With the big names around, how do you think you can survive in the gospel music circle?
I am not in competition with anybody. I just want to be myself. I want to be who God wants me to be. I believe that if God wants to take you somewhere, he will take you there.
Which is your favourite among all your songs?
My favourite is my latest single, ‘Do Me Well’. We are promoting it right now. We want to push it to the extreme.