By FLORENCE AMAGIYA
J’ODIE, whose real name is Joy Odiete is an artiste,  cartoonist,  jewelery designer and a Choir mistress. She also came out sixth position in 2006, West African Idols. Today, her popular single ‘Kuchi Kuchi’ is currently making waves around West Africa. In this interview,  she talks about her childhood, talents and stardom. Enjoy!

Tell us something we don’t know about Jodie

I don’t know what you do not know about Jodie. I am a choir leader in my church!

Okay, what was growing up like?

Growing up was different from what I experience in my career  today.  My parents didn’t bring me up in a social way. l grew up in a strict Christian home. My father is a Bishop while my mother is a Reverend.  All l knew as a child was church, school and home.  So the life l had as a child didn’t reflect my choice of career which is music and entertainment. I was very introverted. l believe l’m still a little conservative but my music is bringing me out gradually.

How did your growing up affect who you are today?

Today, I get to hear from people that I am conservative. I believe that was part of the things my upbringing gave me. I think a lot, l mean constructive thinking. I like going to some corner to just think and that’s where my songs come from. I get inspired to write songs in the midst of my thoughts. Growing up the way l did gave me the foundation that helped me flourish gradually in my career so far. It has helped me not lose my head.

In everything we do, there must be its consequence; what do you think is the downside of growing up the way you grew up?

I don’t see it that way. I think my upbringing has instead added to my career because I try as much as possible to be careful in whatever l do. I have read about celebrities and their lifestyles and the consequences of whatever they do or have done. And because of my upbringing, l have not tried hard to guard against certain things that would make me develop negative habits. My upbringing is even a plus and not a minus because with the way l am brought up, there are things l naturally would not do. People may say that your upbringing stops you from being social, but that’s not true. My upbringing stopped me from losing my head in search of what l want to be.

How did your parents react to the opposite sex looking for you at their house?

This has nothing to do with religion. I believe typical African parents would guard their children or child from harm. They would groom them the way they want them to become and this is nothing new.

How did you cope with boys?

I started in a single sex school, Federal Government Girls School, Ibuso, Delta state, but later went to a mixed school in my Senior Secondary School years in Lagos state. To be honest, it wasn’t easy because I was in a single sex school before this time. But I grew past that. After all, l have a brother and a father. Guys don’t scare me. All l experienced while transferring to a mixed school was because l had stayed three years already with just girls. I have a healthy relationship with men who are friends with me. Like l said before, l am in charge of a choir and so l deal with men and women every day.  I have been able to balance it out. And further more, my university days were spent in Moshud Abiola University, formerly known as Unilag.

At what point did you decide to do what you are doing right now and what was your parents’ reaction?

Honestly, I know this might sound uninteresting to you or startling, but my parents are unique breed of Africans and they supported my music and career. Yes, you would wonder why my dad, who is a Bishop, gave his blessings when it comes to my music and entertainment, but he did. I officially came out in 2007 when l contested for West African Idol. It was after my graduation from the University in 2006 that l saw the advert with an international vibe to it. So I approached my dad about it and he was okay with the idea. I was indeed surprised I must say. My parents and my manager are the most supportive people in my life right now. They have pushed me to go the extra mile and I am grateful.

And stardom comes!

Stardom is actually a walk for me because it is not my destination. I am not saying that l don’t wish to be a star, but that’s not my focus. To me,  it is beyond stardom. I am experimenting and living a life of an artist . I was a cartoonist during my Industrial attachment days, I make good beads, I read art related course at school and today l am into music and entertainment. I have arts all around me! It just happens to be that as I pursue the arts, it is taking me to stardom. The drive for me is the arts.

Was it expected?

Honestly I didn’t know that the song was a good one. I had done a couple of recording, it wasn’t my first. But I decided to try out one of the songs I had recorded and I got a shocking overwhelming revelation! It was the experience I received from people; men, women, young women and the old. It was indeed encouraging.

I wonder why you went into singing love songs when you don’t have much experience about love.

What is love? Do you know that Kuchi Kuchi wasn’t inspired by romantic love? Kuchi Kuchiis a song expressing love from a mother to her child. That is the root of that song, any other love attributed to this song is beautiful. I am happy people are adding to the meaning of my song and it is all good for me because that way, it can have a wider reach.

You don’t have to be a mother to enjoy Kuchi Kuchi. Like l said, I wanted to express another kind of love, a mother/child. Again, every human has the right to experience love, whether romantic, platonic, agape love or whichever there is.

Is there any man? How were you able to handle pressure from the opposite sex when they started coming?

I rather not talk about my private relationship here. And like I said earlier, my upbringing has guided me through a lot of things in my life including this issue. So whatever I do, I think about where I’m coming from, my family and even my choir. When I think about all these, it makes me come to a good decision at every point.

I found it a bit difficult to relate to those of the opposite sex when I got admission into a mixed school which was normal like l said before. l was in a single sex school for three whole years but with time, I was able to loosen up. Before now, I would rather sit down quietly to myself but over time, I learnt to communicate normally and properly.

Do you still do things with the choir?

Yes, I’m in charge of the Choir at my father’s church.

Your manager is a star and you are a star, who is managing who and is he also managing the ‘home front’?

He is managing my music at the moment and that is his job description. He is my business manager and nothing more.

Tell us about the song you did for MTN

Wow! How did you know that! I did the lead vocal for life is a beautiful dance in 2003-2004. It was my first time singing in the studio officially and I worked with several interesting people and one of such person is Asa’s manager and it was really interesting.

What record label are you signed on at the moment?

Right now l am being managed by DUNN Entertainment and they take care of my music business.

You have showed Nigerians that you are different right from West African Idol, what kind of music would you play to change that opinion they have of you?

I am a natural conservative person and I lead a choir, but l do not do gospel songs. I don’t have to try hard to be modest. It is just me. l have been brought up in a certain way. I cannot really run away from it.

How did you manage studying Mass Communication and adjusting into Cartoon department during your Industrial attachment days and yet you excelled?

I studied Mass Communication for the wrong reasons. I wanted to do Fine Arts, but I wasn’t bold enough at that time to say it. It was easy then to hear people say they are reading Medicine, Law and Mass Communication at least, but you hardly see anyone flaunt Fine and Applied Art and so, I followed the crowd. I thought Fine Art wasn’t prestigious enough and so when I got an opportunity to do cartoon during IT, I jumped at it because l felt it was a door to what l really wanted to study. It was strange to me, it was like home.

Your bead making, how did you get into doing it?

To me, they are inter -related. We had  six months ASUU strike and along the line during the strike, a friend advised me to learn to make beads. There was so much time and l was very bored. Bead making was officially fresh in Nigeria at that time and so everybody was crazy about it. At that time, l was just through with the MTN song and the proceeds was invested entirely to my bead learning. I bought books on bead making, bought raw unmade beads and that’s how I started making beads. I took it seriously for a while; it was in fact a hobby at that time. Today, l can make beads of intricate styles and patterns. I have added bead making to my portfolio and as part of my career.

What kind of man would you want to tie the knot with?

I love to marry my friend. My reason is this; your friend is you. Show me your friend and l would tell you who you are. My friend would or should be the totality of me. With your friend in your life, there should be a large room for compatibility. To sum it up, instead of saying he should be tall, slim, short, fat and all, he should be my friend. One, l can relate with, without inhibition.

What do you love to wear when you are at home?

I love being free, although it depends on the weather. So if it is cold, l would cover everywhere as the body demand.

What is your idea of fun?

I love hanging out with close friends, but l also enjoy creating jewelries and making beads as part of fun. It is amazing the type of time consuming designs l can create. I normally have this wonderful feelings each time l view my creations. It is so much fun!

Is J’odie your real name or a stage name?

J’odie is my stage name. The name is Joy Odiete and Jodie is the short of the both names fused together.

Where are you from?

I am from Delta state, an urhobo by tribe. I am partly from Delta state and partly from Edo state. My father is an urhobo man from Delta state while my mum is from Edo state.

How do you keep fit and slim?

I have a good stature because l eat a lot, yet l am not so big. I take long walks when l can as against being mobile. I visit the gym once in a while, but not as much as l would want to. I can also say singing and dancing on the stage is also a good form of exercise.