Popular Female Talking Drummer, Ara, Recounts Musical Experience in Spain, Makes Case for Young Talented Nigerians 

Mary Nnah

African number one female talking drummer, Aralola Olamuyiwa, a.k.a has encouraged young talented traditional musicians not to give up on their dreams while imploring all platforms like OAPs, televisions, radio stations and so so on to create a soft landing for these young talents.

Ara was one of the artists shortlisted to perform at the 2023 summer festivals in Spain.

Speaking while sharing her experience with journalists on her recent musical tour across Europe, Ara said, “I attended 10 festivals in Spain and I can tell you that from number one to number 10, minimum performance was one hour and at other points two hours and the people kept asking for more.

“I also want Nigerians, especially those who have the talent in music to know that there is a huge appetite for traditional music on the global stage. My colleagues in the afrobeat genre have dominated the space and I congratulate them from the depth of my heart.” 

“Every Nigerian talent today wants to be like Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Davido Burma Boy etc. The pressure is on them to want to emulate these global stars. There is nothing wrong with that. 

“But I am also saying that there are talents in Nigeria who fit into the Afro culture genre and the  traditional music who should not give up hope in that regard knowing fully well that there is a huge appetite for their genre of music on the global stage.”

She therefore implored all platforms like OAPs, televisions, radio stations and so on to create a soft landing for these young talents.

“I will not call names but I know that on different occasions I have tried to put out my music on different radio stations and I hear things like, ‘Can you N2million and so on.  This a huge pressure on talents.”

Speaking further, she said, “While I was out there making Nigeria proud – because I took the Nigeria flag because I believe that every Nigerian must be a goodwill ambassador for our country and be patriotic.

“And I will tell you that the reaction I got each time I brought the Nigerian flag up gave me hope that Nigeria is a great country and I believe strongly in Nigeria. We, as Nigerians, have the task to make Nigeria great again.”

“For the talented singers and rappers who want to do the indigenous thing, please don’t be discouraged. There is a market for you”, she noted further.

Speaking further, she said, “As the first female talking drummer, the onion is on me to create a platform for other female talking drummers. And I always tell my girls all over Nigeria any time I have a conversation with them that they should use me as their breakthrough button and press that button. If Ara has done it, you can do it as long as it is your calling.

“Ara is an institution, not just a talent or a brand and out there I reinforced this. And I said to them as the first female talking drummer,  I have opened doors and still opening and will continue to open doors for other female talking drummers.

“So, it is not just about me coming to tour Spain, it is also about creating a market and possibly adding economic value, not just to these artists, female drummers and male drummers alike but also to my country, that I am so proud of”, she noted further.