Judul : I am a complete entertainer —Purp, Nigerian Idol S10 winner
link : I am a complete entertainer —Purp, Nigerian Idol S10 winner
I am a complete entertainer —Purp, Nigerian Idol S10 winner
After weeks of competition, Anu Agosa Fadoju, better known as Purp, officially won Nigerian Idol Season 10. A graduate of Theater Arts from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, she told ROTIMI IGE about her journey so far, and why she is passionate about storytelling in her acting and music. Excerpts:
How do you feel today? A week ago, you were still hoping and today, you’re the winner of Nigerian Idol Season 10.
I will start with how I felt the day before, I woke up hopeful. I didn’t know what it was going to turn out to be. I hoped for the best, but I was nervous. I was terrified, but above all, I think I just wanted to enjoy the show and just trust God that, eventually, it will happen, and then when it did, I couldn’t believe it. I just wanted to cry and thank God. I was very emotional, so sleeping and waking up on the finale morning, it was still unreal. I will not even lie, I don’t feel like it’s real. I’m still pinching myself to convince myself that I won. But above all, I am grateful for the whole experience. It’s overwhelming, it’s surreal. I feel like after the next few days, the realisation will dawn on me on what has happened, so that’s where I am now.
A lot has been expected but not much has been seen from past winners. Being the first female winner in the last five years, there’s a lot of responsibility and expectation that you will do differently, especially because you don’t come from the gospel genre, or you don’t have that tag on you. How are you hoping to not disappoint us?
I am a creative; I sing, I act, I dance and a performer. Basically, I started out from theater and I’m still doing theater, so I think what’s going to make me different from the others is that I’m not just going to stop now that I’ve won. Now, there’s so much more work to do. I’m going to fully go into my music career and artistry to release songs.
I just don’t want to release songs that would just be Gbedu. I love storytelling, even as an actor. So, every time I’m given the opportunity to perform, I want to story-tell. I want to be relatable to the audience. I want them to be able to see themselves in me one way or the other. I want them to be able to listen to my song, feel, think and also reflect.
So, I’m going to go towards the line of storytelling. Whatever it is I want to talk about, if I’m talking about love, it will be storytelling, creative writing and relativity. Also, I’m a believer, though, it’s just that I didn’t get the chance to sing any gospel song throughout the show. So, even if I were to write a gospel song, it’s not going to be like the regular gospel songs. It’s going to be more of storytelling.
I want the legacy I want to leave behind to basically be about authenticity, versatility, genuine artistry, telling my life story and reaching out to people that can relate.
Can you tell us how music started for you?
Music has always been part of my life right from childhood. I grew up in Lagos. I was born in Ebutte-Meta. My mother was the head of the choir at the time, so we used to have the choir rehearsals at our house.
I didn’t know that I could still sing at that point, I was just joining them, playing along until we moved to Abuja. Then, I was like five. I realised I could sing when people started telling me to hold the mic and sing. So it started like that for me. Getting into the university and working with people that knew more fuelled my interest. I studied Theater Arts at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). So, for me, it was finding the beautiful blend of music and theater and it was a beautiful experience. I love theater. OAU opened my eyes to seeing a bigger picture of it.
So now, when I get to express myself through music, I employ my knowledge of arts altogether. After leaving school, I moved from Abuja to Lagos in 2021 still pursuing acting, but also doing music. Then I joined a band in 2022 and ever since then, it’s just been that. We sing together, go for gigs and create music together. I’ve had to learn, unlearn, get better and be more professional in my artistry in general, and that has led me to coming for the show.
On the show, I was still shy because I didn’t know the world I was entering into, but I knew that it was going to expose me to a lot, like how the music industry is outside. So I came still shy and nervous because I had to be judged by three people in front of me, but having to meet and watch other people, I was able to learn that, “oh, okay, I shouldn’t do this. I should do this better”. And, you know, I evolved into what I am today.
Can you tell us more about the things you learnt on the show? I mean, coming from the list of experiences you mentioned earlier, did you learn anything new?
Okay, starting from the performances, coming from a theater background, I understand how stage works; how to use your stage and communicate with the audience. But this time, I had to think about film, not just stage. I had to think about cameras. I had to think about how to communicate with the people at home, not just live. I also had to adjust to the mic, learn, on the spot, how to speak. I’m pretty reserved. I was not as eloquent as I am today. So, I had to learn through the show.
I had to have conversations, I had to learn how to speak. I had to learn how to listen. I had to learn how to brand myself, especially not just on social media, but in personality and style. I had to learn all that as the show evolved.
Do you think that band artistry is an area you would explore as an artist, instead of being just a recording artiste?
Well, I also delved into repertoire music, which involves having a band from last year. I sing at lounges, and currently have somewhere that I’m working at in Ikoyi. I plan to go back there to continue. I have a couple of people I’ve worked with from last year that if I call them together, now we can become a band and do stuff. If I’m invited for any event, we’ll come together. But I think I’m already in a band, so I’ll continue doing what I’m doing with them.
As the winner of the show, what’s your impression about the competition, Nigerian Idol sponsored by Bigi, as the face and representative for the next one year?
Well, Nigerian idol is a huge platform. I think I’ll digress a little. One of the mistakes that some of us creatives make is to get familiar with the name thinking it’s just Nigerian Idol and they overlook the fact that it is a huge platform that puts you out in the world. You don’t know the people that are watching or listening. You don’t know the people looking for a certain talents and then they see you.
So, being the face of Nigerian idol for the next one year is a big deal. I don’t have the words. I don’t know what to expect, but I’m optimistic for the future. I’m also optimistic about the opportunities that it’s going to give other young creatives over this next year because it’s not just about me now. It’s also about the people that put me here. It’s also about the younger generation that I have been inspiring and I will be inspiring in the next one year.
So, I am grateful, honored and humbled to see myself as that person that they will say, “Oh, that’s a good example and she’s a woman. She didn’t do this, she didn’t do that, she started off like this, and now look at her.”
Growing up, when I told my parents that I wanted to be an actor, right from primary school, a lot of people were against it because I’m a woman. They said a woman cannot make it in the industry unless she does some unethical things. But I thank God that my parents motivated and supported me. They, instead, instilled values in me and said, you want to do this, you will do it, but you’ll be different. So, I hope to inspire the younger generation, that you can actually achieve your dreams as a creative, even as it’s not a nine to five job. As a creative, you can do what you love and you can survive from it, and you can also inspire other people.
Who is your greatest entertainment influence?
I have lots. I’ll say Jasmine Sullivan. I would say Anita Baker, Anita Wilson. But in Nigeria, I would say Asha, 100% I grew up listening to Asha. She got me deep within.
So what do you have for Bigi?
What I want to say to Bigi, thank you so much for this opportunity. Thank you for this platform. I am honored, and I am grateful. Thank you so much.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Idol Season 10: Purp wins N30m, SUV in grand finale
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