Nyore: The preacher's daughter

In an ostensibly male dominated music genre, Delta State born Oghenenyore Ogodogun, popularly known as Nyore, is challenging the status quo.

Her latest joint, “Rodeo” featuring Joanna, is enjoying exclusive airtime on MTV base while her other singles, “Naughty Girl” and the 2face-assisted “Mumu Button” are top on the playlists of different radio stations. She has also collaborated with the likes of Kel, Shank and Wande Coal.

Watch Nyore's interview

Starting as backup singer to artists like Rymzo and Righteousman in Benin City, she eventually recorded a series of singles that were released as a gospel album within the Niger Delta in 1999.

Turning down opportunities to study Medicine and Surgery at both the University of Ilorin and Obafemi Awolowo University, she moved to Lagos in 2006 to pursue her musical ambition, though she still enrolled in Environmental Engineering at the University of Benin. Mixing English, Pidgin and Patois, she ushers us into her world.

What was the back-up singer experience like?

It was something I did out of curiosity then. I wanted to know what it’s like to be in the studio. I remember skipping school to be able to get into the studio. After a while, I started realising I could sing and the love for Reggae/Dancehall music grew.

Why reggae?

I grew up with gospel songs like Panam Percy Paul and not Bob Marley as a lot of people would imagine, because my parents are very religious. It was from those songs that I learnt the bases of singing, tenor, alto and the rest.

I chose Reggae, initially, because I wanted to be different [as] everybody is doing rap songs and R&B. Later, I discovered that Reggae music is spiritual and I wouldn’t have lasted eight years in the industry if I wasn’t deep enough to appreciate that kind of music.

Reggae/Dancehall for me is spirituality, you need to connect with your inner mind to be able to do it; not like R&B or rap.

How did you make that connection?

I started by loving Reggae songs and over time, it became an anti-depressant for me, to the extent that when I’m down, the only music I listen to is Reggae.

Any particular ‘anti-depressants’?

I listened to a lot of Gregory Isaacs, love Bob Marley too but Still Pulse is just it for me. I-Wayne and Luciano especially are also top on my favourites.

How did you learn Patois?

Apart from the fact that I was in Kingston last December for my school work, I have been learning for a while. I speak three different patois: the Bobo Ashanti, the Buf Bay and the Tiverly. I started by ordering a patois dictionary seven years ago and I also got a lot of CDs to study with. I also browsed the net to learn about the Rastafarianism movement. I did all this before I [entered] UniBen.

How do you manage school and music?

If you make up your mind to do something, don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t. I devoted 50 percent of my time for my education and the remaining 50 for my career. I made up my mind that I want to do this, and I just bring my head down to do it.

Why the switch from Gospel to secular music; have you lost your faith?

My upcoming album is titled The Preacher’s Daughter. The first was an all out gospel album, although this is not, I am not leaving the Gospel line entirely. If you listen to Reggae music very well, you will notice it’s always about the Jah, the Jah and the Jah!

What’s the inspiration behind “Naughty Girl”?

If you want to do original dancehall music, you have to know that [it] is a dirty business. Rastas are the most spoilt people in the whole world! When I did “Naughty Girl”, my lyrics were about how [women] can show [their] sexuality in a decent way. It is about women empowerment.

Can you describe a naughty girl?

Although I don’t believe in baring all, I still love showing off a lot of skin; it’s about giving a little and holding back some, thereby creating a mystery around you.

Do you believe in using a sexy image to push records?

Feminism is sexuality; even when you’re wearing a long skirt, like it or not, your butt still shakes and ticks that even a pastor will understand that the butt is ticking. So as a female artist, I must appear sexy.

Finally, what is the “Mumu Button”?

As an Urhobo person, when a man loves a woman or vice versa, we believe the weakness is the “Mumu Button”. So it’s like the person you are in love with holds your remote control, which we now call the Mumu Button.