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Entertainment of Saturday, 25 January 2020

Source: Punchng

When I’m down, I listen to TuFace Idibia’s songs — Rossy

James Rossy James Rossy

Several years after dumping choreography for singing, James Rossy (real name is James Obianwuna) is still awaiting an elusive opportunity to hit the limelight.

Rossy, in an interview with our correspondent, admitted that it took quite a while and a lot of encouragement from his small circle of loyal fans, who had long spotted and acknowledged his talents, to take up a music career full time. But poverty, lack of faith in his ability to swim in an ocean dominated by big fishes, such as Tuface Idibia, Burna Boy, Davido, Tiwa Savage and the like, by many promoters and other issues had worked against his ambition.

Claiming that he was deeply influenced by Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, King Sunny Ade and a few others, Rossy called his kind of music ‘Jollof music’, an experimental style that emphasises a mixture of different beats and rhythms.

Unfortunately due to the challenges mentioned earlier, the artist has not been able to release an album yet, despite having a number of songs, including the potentially chartbusting song, ‘Spend it’, in his collection. Described as ready and good to go, ‘Spend it’ was produced, mixed and mastered by Fosterzino.

“One major challenge for me right now is money. Money has been slowing down a lot of things for me. It’s not like I can’t make a low budget video, but if I want to come out big and if I want people to understand where I’m coming from and also where I’m going to, I have to make a good video,” Rossy told our correspondent, explaining why the songs have yet to be released into the market.

The singer confessed that Tuface Idibia was his role model. “Tuface is one artist that has always kept me standing. He has been my inspiration. If not for 2baba, I would have lost hope a very long time ago. Whenever I am stuck musically and I need some inspiration, I would listen to his songs and then it would be easy for me to write and express my thoughts, “he said.

In spite of the odds, Rossy hopes to come up with a music video, possibly for ‘Spend it’in March. “By the grace of God, the music video will give me the kind of leverage that I have always hoped for and allow more music fans to identify with my kind of music. When a song is without a video, it doesn’t give you the push you need because the music video compliments the song,” he said.