Being a lady pianist, wonders people ---Elizavocat

Nigeria gospel singer and a season broadcaster Abimbola Ojo popularly known as Elizavocat in a WhatsApp interview with PUGMUG monitored by Newsline NG, narrates how her musical career started 

Can we meet you 

I am Abimbola Ojo, Popularly known as Elizavocat, i am a graduate of mass communication department at the polytechnic Ibadan. 

How did the journey started

My music journey started actually in church, because my mum's pastors were in the church, so I started in church.

Then from church,i went to Ibadan polytechnic which gave me a lot of leisure time to build my music career.

So,i officially started music on a professional level in 2016 when I got an admission to the polytechnic,Ibadan.

So,that was how I started.

Actually, i started with an all female band before I finally started adding guys to my team. So,let's say I started in polytechnic Ibadan,God bless Poly Ibadan.

Do you think/know this is what you are going do. ?

Well, just like the word of the Lord that"when it's time,I the Lord will make it happen". Let me just say like,i didn't start music maybe  because i just wanted to be like every other person or you know, be a musician,it was a divine instruction from God.

So, before I officially started music,i had started playing keyboard but I was just doing it for fun as at then until I got a divine instruction from God to add the singing part to it, So, i got to know like it was something I was meant to do when I heard from the Lord and that is still what I am standing on and I will continue to,y ou know,stand on forever.

What are the challenges you faced when you started ma and how were you able to navigate through? 

Well, one of the challenges that I faced when I started was actually gender based and I guess it's actually because I am a lady pianist, so you know, most people just feel like"kilo Fe se,kilo o le se".

You know maybe because of the part of the World we find ourselves but I was able to look beyond that because I know that yeah, God is taking me farther than where I am now, so i didn't actually allow all of those things to get to me and part of the challenges I faced was actually from my home as well, the fact that I was a female and it took them a while to understand my vision and give me the full support that I needed.

But, i was able to you know,convinced them and also use prayer because ummm,

Nothing can be done without prayer,so I was able to pray that God should touch the hearts of my parents and my family to reason along with me and I'm grateful that God heard my prayers.

What/who inspired your style of playing piano and singing at the same time?

Did you start like that or it happened along the way?

Actually,my Style of music especially the playing keyboard simultaneously was not actually inspired by anybody.

I don't know,for people who have known me for a very long time,i used to do that in church when I started.

Like,when I was in secondary school that was like my style even on the assembly that was how I always do my presentation,it was always in my keyboard and my maximal stand.

So,as at then,i don't even know much about social media I was doing just doing my own thing.

So,it wasn't like i was inspired by anybody,i just wanted to you know,challenge myself to do something different,i just want to be different,i just wanted to do like I don't just want to feel the keyboard,ok let me add something to it.

But for me as at then, i was doing it for fun and just for the service of God, until God actually spoke to me that I should maintain that Style, so it wasn't like, i wanted to be like somebody else or something, it was Just me being myself and not trying to be like any other person.

So,that was how I started.

Which of your songs/platform would you say brought you to limelight ma?

Well, the World that we are in now,is more about social media and I feel like everyone not just musicians,everyone in the entertainment field and beyond should make use of it.

So,for me,social media has really helped me because ummm, the fact that social media has a larger audience,even than broadcast media is more reason why everybody should look in that direction.

So, something I want to say,i was even about to type it before I saw the question is that,just keep posting whatever idea, whatever content that God is putting in your mind, just keep Posting.Don't be concerned about the views,sometimes the views can be discouraging,sometimes you might not see the engagement but there is a God that you know,can bring out something from nothing.

It's funny how sometimes like maybe something that you have posted for maybe like two years would not even have any engagement when you posted it and God will just revisit it and you will be shocked that what you totally lost hope about is now what is trending.

So,what I want to tell everybody is,please let's be more active on our social media,let's post our content,let's post our song and ministration because aside the fact that we are reaching out to people,we are also blessing lives. So,our ministry should not just be restricted to maybe when are invited for programs.Be hungry for programs,we should also share this Content online.Some people might not have the opportunity to be at that program but they can be blessed by whatever thing that we post online and the second thing us that,we should just keep posting as the spirit leads and not be discouraged by umm,low engagement or low views because God will still do something.

So,let's just keep pushing,God will come through for us Amen.

Who is/are your Mentor(s), Role model

I have so many people that i am looking  up to. My first mentor is my brother. I have learnt so much from him and i am still learning from him till now. Some of my other mentors are not public figures per say but their life is a testament of God’s faithfulness.

I have role models in  all sphere of life  but in music i have the likes of  Aunty Sola Allyson, Mama Tope Alabi, Mercy Chinwo and Adeyinka Alaseyori as my rolemodel because these women have over the years balanced their career with their marital life

In as much as i want to be great, i also desire to have a good marriage. So i desire to florish on both sides like them

Beyond music i am inspired by the likes of Sarah Jakes, the Bamiloyes, Funke Akindele, Kiekie and Ruth Kadiri

Well, one of the things that attract me to the people is ,how far they've been able to you know, withstand the storm of life. Some of those people have been through a lot like am inspired by their consistency, i'm inspired by how they carry themselves which is kind of mixing in the entertainment field now.

The likes of Sarah Jicks, the Bamiloye's, Funke Akindele, Kiki, Ricadore.These are people that know their onions, they go for what they want and we can see that they are doing well in what they do which is kind of mixing in the entertainment space as well. Most people are distracted but talk of the like of umm,Sara Hicks, Bamiloye, Funke Akindele, Kiki and the likes,they know what they are called to do and they are not distracted by it,they are focused on it.

These people have been through you know,stormy times and they have been able to you know,come out of it very strong.

So there is nothing to be inspired by their lives and looking at that,they are consistency over the years irrespective which ever field that we find ourselves.without consistency, it's a waste and it's a divine grace that I also pray for. So, I feel like these people are amazing and beyond what they do,they have an amazing personality that attract me to them.

What qualities do you think a music minister needs to possess?

For me as a music Minister,we must try as much as possible to be Christ like.

We must be able to emulate Christ like virtues in whatever we do .

And aside that as well,i feel that as a music Minister,originality is very very important and key.

In as much that you can Learn from other people,you can want to be like every other person.

You must try as much as possible to know what God has called us to be,because what i say is now people just want to be like somebody else and in the process of trying to be like somebody else,we are loosing our own originality and our own assignment.Everybody has an assignment.

So,the better we realise this,the better for us.As a music Minister,we must know what we are called to do in as much as you can Learn from other people know what you are called to do and stay in that particular place because for every vision,there must be a provision. 

And for every location,there is an allocation.it might not be you know, booming like we want now but in being in God's purpose,doing God's will,everything that He has promised us,will definitely come to pass.

Just like His word,"oni bi aye ati orun ba koja lo,oni kin ninu oro re konilo lia see"(even if the world should pass,His word will not fail).

So,we should know what we are called to do,we should try as much as possible to be original,we should try and be ourselves,we should not do unhealthy rivalry.

It happens this days,everybody you know,envy, jealousy the body of Christ and we couldn't be ministers,it shouldn't be.

When somebody is doing well,celebrate them because"ti Ori eleyi ba Kan ore re,oma Kan iwona".

So we should know that,f or every body,God has an assignment and where He is taking us to.When you see other people winning,celebrate with them so that your own will too can come.

And as a music minster, i feel like we should make God the centre of everything we do.

People will come "Are you this"?, people will want to tell you like"wow,iwona lese bayi,wo bi lagbaja sensee", if you know what God has called you to do,you will stay in that particular thing because,no matter the fame and the money that we have, the greatest fulfillment that we can have as music Minister is to fulfill God's purpose and assignment.

So I pray that God will help us and to wrap the question up,i will say as music Minister as well,we should always remember that we are the Bible that people are reading,in as much as we are not holy, we should try as much as possible to Live an exemplary life that people will know that"eni yii,yato si pe o Minister, this person has an amazing character, this person has an amazing personality to work with and we should be opened to collaborations and you know, helping one another.

What’s your idea of a good/perfect production/recording, what are the things you look out for in your production before you release it to the public?

For me,a good and a perfect production will be rated by the Audio quality and the view quality.

The audiovisual is very important,the audio production,the mastering,the mixing,how does it come out and also lyrics wise.how good is the lyrics,the consultation of the lyrics, you know, the moodof the person.

Is the person really conveying the message of the song because sometimes,you might have you know a very good lyrics and even message and you don't have the right mood to preach it.

So,one of the things that for me,i can use the rate the production is, the  audio quality and the video quality.

And I feel like as music Ministers,we should work more on this because what we put out there,defines our brand.

It even determines how people see us,how people rate us,how people even Price whatever it is that we are doing.

We should try as much as possible to do something presentable,something that when people see,they can you know,truly appreciate aside having a good content,it's important that we work toward having gadgets you know,that can give us the best video quality.

We don't have to use iPhone 15 Pro Max to have the best quality,whatever phone you are using,you can ask from people ok "what can I do to announce my video production,what can I use to enhance you know,my audio production because how you sound,how you look and the quality of what you dish out Will determine how people will accept and reach your brand.

So,i feel like as music Minister,we should work more on this,work more in our audio production,work more on our video production as we dish out those contents even though,they are spiritual and heavenly content,we should work on giving out good and standard quality content to people because it is very very important and Paramount.

What help/value do you think knowing how to play one or two instruments adds to a music minister’s ministry

Having knowledge about musical instruments is actually very important for you know,every music Minister.

The reason is it helps you to in your composition,you know you will be able to have a very good composition in the sense that you know, you order how you the arrangements to go.

So it's going to definitely going to Show that this person has a music sense.

It's not just about the lyrics of the songs alone.

What about the arrangement of the song?

So aside that, it helps you even on stage. you know how to follow the progression. Because now a days, music is changing and we are coming up with new progressions.

So,as music Minister,we must be able to know how to follow progressions because that is basically one of the Best things we will do when ever we are on stage.

So," Koma dabi pe,won ati Play progression Orin Kan Tan ,to ye ki iyan wole,koma wa wole si eyin"

So having the idea of musical instrument,"oma guide iyan".

You know ok, this is where they are landing, this is where I should come in,it's going to help one Like people will know that this person is a professional"eni yii Mo nko ti o se" No matter how umm, competitive the space is,it will set you apart,people can see that professionalism and it's very important and key.

Share with us a day you will never forget as a music minister both the good one and the day things wasn’t too good

One of the days that I will never forget as a music Minister was the day I went to the mall to get something and someone walked up to me, she ran to me, she hugged me I didn't Even know what was happening until she told me that like for the past fifteen years she has not been going to church. Ever since she saw my video,the Lord spoke to her and she started going back to church.

So,i was so happy. I felt fulfilled because at least,even "bibeli so wipe ayo nbe orun fun elese to ronupuwada".

More testimonies like that.

Actually, it means the world to me even more than money because it's shows that what we are doing is blessing lives and we are winning souls for Christ.

So there is one of the days that I will never forget.

And the other one was when somebody embarrassed me actually because I was a C&S member, because I was because am still a C&S member, the person said something but I'm sure the person must have seen that God is not a God of denomination and what God has given to me is beyond just a discrimination So, i felt so embarrassed actually but then we thank God.

What's your take on honorarium ma, do you charge before going for an invite?

I have my rate card but however i make compromise based on God’s instrution and relationship

What is your advice for gospel artiste who are coming behind

My advice is that we define our purpose and what God has called us to do and we should always remember  that the one who has called us is too faithful to fail us