Justina Emataivbohi Ebozoje whose stage name is Ematai is not your everyday Artiste and beauty queen. She is far above that, she is an Accounting student of the Lagos state University popularly known as LASU, she is a business girl who specializes in making hats and beads for women, she has a musical band of her own and at the same time writes music. In this interview with FLORENCE AMAGIYA, she tells how she has managed all these and about her new single.

Excerpts

How did you come into singing professionally and owning a band?

When I was a little girl, I discovered I love listening to music and I would sing the song on the radio with a passion, even when I didn’t know the lyrics, I fill it up with my own words and keep singing. Then in children church I would lead in praise and worship, at age 12, I joined the adult choir as a vocalist, in school too, we would peer up ourselves in groups to sing carols and special songs during the school social day.

However while in the university I joined a band ,we went to play for events, I started scoring old school, classical, and jazz songs, then I had an idea on how to run a band, that was how I started mine own band  called “JUSTDYNAMIC BAND”.

How was it like growing up?

Growing up was fun for me, it was sweet, hard and at the same time bitter and at a point not too rosy. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon. My dad was a civil servant and my mom a business woman, we had enough for three square meals and we were grateful to God.

I had much love from my parents, they provide for my siblings and I. However I remember when I I had to help my mom sell chicken in the neighboring village in Jos and at a point I had to do phone calls for business and sell recharge cards in Ago Okota to make ends meet so like every average Nigerians I have had  my share of struggle too.

How many are you in your family?

I am from a large family of 9 including my father and mother; we call ourselves one big family. I am the eldest among the children.

Are your parents in support of you choosing music as a career?

Gone are the days when parent dictate what their children should and shouldn’t do when it comes to career choice,  maybe some parents still do, but all the while I sang in children church, my parents gave me their support and till now they still do. They supported me financially and even in their prayers. They have never objected to me choosing music as a career, they are always interested about my progress in the music front.

Why music, is that what you are studying in school or what you studied?

I am a final year student of Accounting at the Lagos State University popularly called LASU; I didn’t do any kind of music in school.

What inspires you when you write music, how would you rate yourself among the female artistes in the industry?

Life to me is an inspiration. I get inspired by my feelings and the vibes of daily happenings especially as it relates to the emotions, I mean Love and every other emotion. I also sing about my life experience and that of others in all modality.  I think I have a unique voice that can’t be ignored.  Pop style of singing is evident in my new single.

Who is your role model, locally or internationally?

My old school role model would be Tina Turner; I love her crazy style and her strong voice. Growing up I use to like Beyonce Knowles a lot, l love her style of singing and voice.  Beyonce has a unique style like no one else. She will always be my role model in the musical industry.

I love Rihanna‘s voice and on the home scene, I love Onyeka Owenu, l like the African touch on her songs. I love Brenda Fassi of blessed memory; I got goose pimples when I listen to her

In which way have you employed your creativity to good effect?

I love exploring when it comes to writing songs. I try to be different and unique and very flexible. My music creations are unique. I want to be seen differently.

Outside singing, what else do you do?

I do quite a number of things apart from singing, I write my own songs, I love to act, I make beautiful hats for ladies and fashion beads of high quality. I usually dedicate quality time for my clients specific needs.

Your style of music, how would you describe it?

I never really believed in love until it happened to me in a special way and I love to sing about “LOVE”. Pop music is about the easiest style and it appeals  to me.

Where would you classify your style of music?

I would classify my kind of music as POP music.

How far do you want to go in music?

I want to be that artiste with a unique love song for every lover. I want to identify with your situations because l have been there.  I hope to become an internationally recognized artiste for my message of love and hope.

Your new single is called fever, why did you use that name for the song?

Fever for me is a unique title and I love it, it took me time to write the song fever. It is a love song, when I finally got the lyric right it struck me. I felt goose pumps all over my body when I wanted to describe the way I felt at that time and it felt to me like fever. I felt cold, then at another point hot and I just couldn’t describe my feelings. It has to be a fever!

What is ‘Fever’ all about?

Fever is all about love, a different feeling that has not been felt before, it is just like when one falls sick of fever. The feeling is really unusual, but in this case it a good type of feeling because it is about love.

Would you branch into modeling and acting for the right money?

I love to act too, during my school days I do that for fun and I was very good at it.  For the right money sure I would. I have attended some auditions too, it just that music was always my priority. However if I do get any opportunity I would.

You are a beautiful young woman, how do you cope with sexual harassment while you do your thing?

Well, you see in this type of business, as you can see I am into entertainment, it is inevitable to be harassed sometimes because you meet people who admire you everyday. I am a very homely and friendly person and I don’t scare people away, I just let them know my stand and stay friendly, most of them end up being my friends. Like the saying goes be good to those you meet on your way up because you may need them on your way down.

Are you in a relationship?

Yes I am in a relationship.

What would you leave music for, perhaps the man of your dreams?

I cannot leave music for anything. Music is my life and any one around me would have to love me and love my job which happens to be music. There is however room enough in this big heart of mine to create a balance among life, family and my music.

What if the big break comes in your artistic career would you leave music?

I love my music so much that I cannot give it up for anything in the world; if the big break comes in my artistic career Praise God.  I will still do my music by taking it to a higher level.

Is music a way of making ends meet or a passion for you?

Music is my passion and not a way of making ends meet. Because it’s a passion I have done so many shows for free despite the importance money has to play. Basically music is one thing I enjoy doing even if I don’t get paid for it I will still sway in the same passion for my music.

Why music when you can graduate to become an accountant in a world class bank and a fantastic pay cheque, after all you have it all, the beauty, the brain and the style?

I am still an accountant in the making, even when I become chattered I will still do music. It has always been my dream; even medical doctors, lawyers and several other big musicians you hear about today didn’t study music in school it’s the drive for music that has written their names in the sands of time. And I am determined to follow my passion till death do us part.

You have an unusual stage name, can you tell us about it?

My stage name Ematai, it is short of my native name Emataivbohi.  I decided to use my native name in a shortened form because when my mum calls me, she shortens it to Ematai and it appeal to me.

What is your full name and where are you from?

My name is Justina Emataivbohi Ebozoje. I am from Edo state.

When are we expecting your album?

I hope to release my first album sometime next year but right now I am still doing some studio work and putting other songs together.

How do you plan to fight piracy?

I am presently working on my affiliation with PMAN and other regulating agencies. However sometimes we need the pirates to make us more popular (laugh).

What has being the challenges since making music a major profession?

Honestly the entertainment industry is growing rapidly with new artistes emerging everyday and the demand for marketers, promoter is becoming higher so is the payment for such services.  Again to produce a good track you must be willing to part with a good sum. “Because them say soup when sweet na better money kill am”