My music is my priority, says Ewulo

Michael Ewulo is a musical artist with passion to use his music to give hope to the hopeless. He is currently based in America with so much passion for his roots and people not minding their skin colors, his goal is to preach the gospel of love and peace through his musical lyrics and actions.

He has worked with the likes of Cobhams Asuquo, Wole Oni, Lolo of WazobiaFM.

He recently dropped a new single titled Emimimo which is now available on all streaming platforms

CAN WE MEET YOU?

I am Michael Ewulo Damilola. I hail from Yewa, Ogun State in Nigeria.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND?

Yea, well…I had admission to study Biochemistry at the Lagos State University but I realized that my true passion lies in Music. I decided to take that path by pursuing a certificate course in Music at the Peter Kings College of Music in Badagry. For my primary education, I attended Baptist Day School in Igbogila, Pito Nursery and Primary School, Ilaro and for secondary school, I attended Egbado High School now Yewa High School. I also attended Badagry Grammar School in Lagos.

WHAT LED YOU INTO MUSIC?

I discovered my music calling while in university. The passion for music became so strong that I withdrew from LASU to study music at Peter Kings College of Music. For me, music is a calling.

REALLY, HOW HAS YOUR MUSIC JOURNEY BEEN SO FAR?

The journey has been good so far. Music has paved the way for me to some extent. My music journey has been a really exciting and transformative experience! I’ve had the chance to explore different styles and collaborate with some amazing artists. Each performance and project have taught me something new about myself and my craft. I love how music allows me to express myself, positively influence and connect with others.

HOW WILL YOU COMPARE ARTISTE IN AMERICA WITH NIGERIAN ARTISTE? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO?

Our Nigerian artistes are doing great and making us proud. Our traditional genres such as Afrobeats, Fuji, Apala, Juju are blended into contemporary style and now globally accepted. This is a great feat for us.

Here in America, we have the likes of Wizkid, Davido, Burna boy, Rema and Asake making big waves here. Nigeria music is doing great and thriving in America.

WHAT TYPE OF MUSIC ARE YOU INTO?

I will say I sing contemporary music and Gospel music.

WHO ARE YOUR MUSICAL INFLUENCES AND HOW HAVE THEY SHAPED YOUR STYLE?

Society is my influence. I listen to songs but not often because I would not want to be influenced by the inspiration I receive from such songs. So, I let God through the society influence me. Though, I listen to songs by Beautiful Nubia, Burna Boy. I listen to music generally. I listen to any type of music.

HOW DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION OR WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION?

Like I said, God is my inspiration. The happenings in our society influences me to compose my songs.

DOES YOUR FAMILY SUPPORT YOUR MUSIC CAREER?

Yes. However, when I just discovered my musical self, there was a bit of a challenge. My parents wanted me to study a professional course such as Medicine, Engineering and the likes. They saw music as too simple to make a living from but as time went by they began to see meaning to what I do with my music.

HAVE YOU RELEASED ANY ALBUM OR WHAT ALBUM ARE YOU WORKING ON?

If you go online, you will see my album titled High Life Revolution by Michael Ewulo. Right now, I am working on another album. Although I haven’t titled the album but Emimimo, my new single is just a song on the album.

WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU FACED IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AND HOW HAVE YOU OVERCOME THEM?

There are challenges in the music industry everyday but my consistency and showing up every time has helped me greatly to overcome them. I keep learning, I keep collaborating with people that I can always learn from and doing what I know how to do best repeatedly.

HOW DO YOU FEEL YOUR CULTURAL BACKGROUND OR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES HAS INFLUENCED YOUR MUSIC?

I believe the music that comes out of me is a reflection of who I am. My cultural background and personal experiences have played a huge role in shaping my music. Growing up in a diverse environment, I was exposed to various musical styles and traditions, which has encouraged me to blend different sounds and rhythms in my work.

My heritage brings a richness to my lyrics. Additionally, personal experiences, like navigating different life challenges and milestones, influence the emotions I convey in my songs. They add depth and relatability, making my music not just a reflection of my background, but also a way to live and connect with others who share similar journeys.

If you see me, you have seen my music and vice versa. My music is me.

CAN YOU SHARE A MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM YOUR CAREER THAT HAS HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON YOU?

I have had several memorable moments in my musical career and one of such moments is my performance at Nestle Open Day and Entertainment of Nestle expatriate. Watching men and women of different colors coming together to dance to my music. This gives me joy and inspires me to continue to strive for excellence. Other times are my studio sessions with Cobhams Asuquo and Wole Oni.

TELL US ABOUT THE PROJECT YOU ARE WORKING ON, YOUR BAND AND OTHER THINGS WE NEED TO KNOW?

I’m currently working on an exciting new project that will address a lot of ills in our society and also encourage the hopeless ones. My forthcoming album speaks of spirituality, morals, hard work, prayers and government.

We are in the process of refining the recording of two of the songs on the album and I am really excited about the quality of work I and my producer and featured artiste have committed to this forthcoming project.

I also plan to take my music to live audiences soon, as performing is a big part of what I love to do. Stay tuned for updates on my upcoming shows and new releases—there’s a lot of passion and creativity going into this project, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

THIS YOUR FORTHCOMING ALBUM, DID YOU FEATURE ANY ARTISTE?

Yes I did. I featured Uwana Etuk in one of my singles titled Emimimo in my forthcoming album. Uwana Etuk is a musician, he plays the trumpet. Although he played flugelhorn in Emimimo songs.

The songs I did back then I worked with Wole Oni and Emmanuel Cobhams Asuquo on the Highlife Revolution album. I worked with them between 2006, 2007 and 2008.

DO YOU HAVE HOBBIES OR INTEREST OUTSIDE MUSIC?

Absolutely! Outside of music, I enjoy a variety of hobbies. I love to exercise. Watch boxing matches as I was also a trained boxer while I was in Nigeria.

I love to meet new people as it always sparks fresh ideas for my music.

Also, another thing that interests me is giving to people who are less privileged. Seeing a smile on their face broadens my own smile. My music is also a means of putting smiles on faces.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS to 10 YEARS?

I see myself doing well, still relevant, giving people hope through my music. I am not in competition with any artist. I am just here to do what God has sent me. In these coming years, I see myself still standing, still rich in inspiration and relevant in the society and in the lives of people.

SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT MUSICIANS ARE NOT SERIOUS COMPARED TO PEOPLE WHO STUDY PROFESSIONAL COURSES LIKE LAW, MEDICINE AND ENGINEERING. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS?

I want to correct that notion. Music is the hardest career in life. According to my own opinion and if you ask any musician they will tell you. Except you are not studying. If you go and study music, you will understand. There is mathematics; there is English in music, your initiative and ability to improvise matters. Reading and playing music requires a lot.

The end result is what makes people think music is easy.

When it comes to living, not every lawyer makes it, not everyone that goes to school makes it and the same thing applies to music but for the ones who are successful in music, If I will throw the question back to you, who has more money.

Music is a good career. Just be sure you are called to do it. If you are not called to do it, you will be messed up. I have been into music since 2003. I worked with Kolawole Olawuyi Nnkan nbe. One of those songs played on his TV program is my song. I also worked with Omotunde Lolo Wazobia FM at that time.

I am still here. Emimimo is out, koni baje is out.

What matters is that we are still relevant. You have to be called and sure if you want to do music. Even if you don’t have the money to finance yourself. You have to be very sure. Music is a good career.

WHAT KIND OF SINGER WILL YOU CLASSIFY YOURSELF AS? ARE YOU A GOSPEL SINGER?

I am an all-round artiste. I do not classify myself into a particular genre as what makes an artist is their ability to create and improvise. My sound is unique to me and my lyrics are to inspire hope to the hopeless.

I am not a gospel artiste but my music preaches love and peace across all religions.

WHAT MAKES YOUR FORTHCOMING ALBUM BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE?

The forthcoming album is not better than the previous one. My songs are like my children and I don’t rate one better than the other. I always give my best to all my songs. The forthcoming one is as good as the previous one. If you listen to Koni Baje or Funmilayo, what each of them has to offer depends on you. The society or listener will choose based on what it offers to them. But for me, I am not in the position to say the next coming album is better than the previous one. That is just like me condemning my works.

What I would say about this new album is the producer. My former album I work with some of the best producers in the country. The producers of Asa, Midnight crew which are Cobhams and Wole Oni. Mike Aremu is on the former album too. He played saxophone. I also have Taiwo Clegg on the former album. That album is a masterpiece.

This forthcoming album is also the same. I am working with a producer based in the United State of America, a top graduate from MUSON and Music University in the USA. His name is Temidayo Balogun. We were together in Nigeria and now we are together in America. He is a musician, a producer and a music lecturer.

He is a producer that understands my kind of music and the message I try to pass across. All my music is great.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR PERSONAL LIFE WITH YOUR CAREER?

My life is my career. So, like I told you, I love to put smiles on people’s faces. My personal life is just the same thing. What I do currently is putting a smile on the face of people, which is taking care of people and helping people. I love my life.

IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH ANY MUSICIAN DEAD OR ALIVE, WHO WOULD IT BE?

You are trying to put me in a tight corner. But I will escape from you. See, I love so many musicians, now and in the past but the musician I actually love and that I have played on the same stage with is Beautiful Nubia and I love him so much. I love his quality content. I like Asake for Gen Z. I love so many of them but I can’t start mentioning names. These are the ones that come to my mind now. If you ask me tomorrow I may answer you with different names. That is the answer for today.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO UPCOMING ARTISTE?

They should not stop. Please, don’t stop if you believe in your music calling and your dream, don’t stop. What you are doing may seem odd and not making sense but don’t stop because that thing will be the only thing as time goes on.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT ANY SONG THAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN THAT HOLD A SPECIAL MEANING TO YOU?

Emimimo is really rolling in my mind. It is my new born baby and you can imagine how you feel when you give birth to a new born baby. My new born baby is Emimimo, which I want everybody to go and listen to.

HOW DO YOU RECEIVE THE SONG EMIMIMO?

How I got the Emimimo song. It was a particular day in Badagry. My mum called me. My son came and listened to this song, I received it in my dream and she sang it and I asked her to repeat the song. I felt the impact on me. I felt the power that hit me. I told her mummy, this is nice but within me, I said one day I will do this song for her. This was about 20 years ago. My mum, Mrs Maria Olanrewaju Ewulo was the one who received the inspiration to compose the song. I am just the singer of the song.

FINALLY, WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUR FANS OUT THERE?

My message for my fans is that I will continue to show my love to them through my music. They should continue to stream my songs, share with their family and friends as this will motivate me to do more for them.