By Damilola Akinmolayan
debisi Emmanuel, aka ‘Bisi Manuel’ , is a fast rising-musician with a unique style. His ambition is to be a successful musician with an ability to merge every form of career; music, lecturing,and business to achieve stardom.
In this interview with Friday Extravaganza, he talks about his style of music, his dreams and other interesting issues. He also said his crew is to showcase individuals’ talents.
How would you describe your relationship with your crew members?
“My Crew would say that I’m always positive and encouraging, even on days when we don’t play as well as when we usually do. I’m always working to cheer everyone up, even if we’re all tired from traveling or worn out from the many concerts we’ve been indulged in. I constantly try to find ways to get my crew pepped up and excited so that we can perform our best at every show.
What inspires you to sing?
” I will say I was inspired by my parents, although I have been running away from music. I used to see it as a shadow, like ‘let me just do it’. I used to be into lecturing. I will say, the ability to express yourself is key. I believe that every human being is an involuntary artist and their faces are their broadsheets, where they showcase their talents. The way they express their faces, but I decided to be a musician because it gives me the opportunity to express myself in ways that are spiritual.
“Music has this deep spiritual feeling and in addition, it gives me an eternal life, for example; the likes of Fela and Bob Marley are not here, but their music will always be here. So, that is what inspired me to be a musician.
Did you go into music; for the awards, recognition or for money?
“Of course, money is part of it, but I would like to borrow one of Jay Z’s terms, which says, “We don’t do music just to be successful, but the goal is to live off your art.” That is what I would love to do.
“The goal is to live off my art, but the dream is to do what I love doing. I love music and I want to enjoy doing it. But on a personal level, like I said in a publication I did before, I would love my music to heal people’s pains. That’s my main goal.
Do you follow a process or ritual before a performance to get rid of performance anxiety?
“Before each performance, I’ll take ten minutes to gain my composure and to provide myself with positive affirmations about my talents, skills and abilities. I’ll also shake my body to rid it of any nervousness or fears that may creep up in my head before I head out to perform. Right before I step on stage, I’ll take three deep breaths to calm and steady myself. This helps me feel more relaxed and prepared for my performance.
What would you do if your audience react negatively during your performance?
“As a musician, it’s common to experience a negative or distracting crowd during a performance. I think it’s important to remain calm during this situation and to continue performing my best on stage. If they continue distracting my performance, I’ll wait until the next scheduled break to find the stage manager and ask him to escort the trouble makers out of the building if they’re distracting other attendees. I will calm myself down and return to the stage to perform again.” he said