When I Breathe, Music Comes Out - Ajuma

Joy Ajuma Shuaibu is an artist who was born and brought up in the ancient city of Bauchi State. She graduated from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi. The beautiful multi-talented artist is not just into music but also into Investment Banking and Fashion as well. Ajuma who is the only child of her parents started music at the age of eight (8) and released her first song in 2015 titled “Joy of Christmas”.  Since then, she has released two other songs which are making waves currently. Her unique style and scintillating voice has endeared her to many fans in the Federal Capital Territory.
Tozali contacted her for a chit chat where she revealed a lot of things about herself and career.
Excerpts-
Can we know you?
My name is Joy Ajuma Shuaibu, born and brought up in Bauchi State. I started my education in Command Children School Bauchi than move to ATBU Staff School and then Federal Government Girls College Bauchi. My first degree was from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi where I studied Business Management and did my youth service in Kaduna. I moved to Abuja immediately after where I ventured into Investment banking and I have been in the profession for about ten (10) years now. I have MBA from the University of Lester, and various other interests one of which is music. I also have passion for fashion a lot, aside investment banking, which is my profession. These are the two things that if you wake me up and ask me Joy what are the things you have major interest in, I will tell you music and fashion. These things come to me naturally, so they are basically the major things I have passion for.
At what age did you start music?
I started music at the age of eight (8). I joined the adult choir of my local assembly where I sing with the adult and then rush back to Sunday school that was what I kept doing although I took a break at some point due to tunes of location. I just felt ok, since I was doing the investment banking, let me just concentrate on it. But you know, your passion is something that is part of you it stays with you forever so I decided to give it a shot. So in 2015 I did my first song which is a Christmas song titled “Joy of Christmas”.

What inspire you to start music?
Well like I told you I started music at the age of eight. Music have never left me, it’s been a part of my life. Everyone who knows me knows that am always singing; but what actually inspire me to take it as a profession as much as I have done is, I just wanted to tell a story and reach out to people in my own way.
Is your Family in Support of your music?
They know it has always been a part of me.  I come from a family where you are allowed to express yourself and be who you are although there are no limit. So who you are and who you want to be they will support you, particularly my dad will tell you there is nothing you cannot do and my mum is my chair leader. So as far as am concerned, since the important people I have in my life supported me; am good. But even if they do not support me I will try to make them understand that this is what I like and with time they will support me.
Do you write your songs?
Yes, I write my songs and it does not take me much time to write a song. I spend like 30 minutes at most to pen down my songs. My songs most a times is as a result of my experience, what I see around me or my personal opinion about how I feel. Am an introvert by nature but am a jolly playful person and I love to dance and that personality help me in writing my songs. My songs are centered on my personality. So anytime I write a song I give it to my producer to produce the bite that suit the song and sometimes we do it together.
Do you have a stage name?
Yes, my stage name is Ajuma which is my middle name and it is an Igala name. Do you have any challenge in the music industry so far? Well the challenge right now for me even though I don’t consider it a challenge because they are just normal stages and processes in life. When you are starting something you need a lot of awareness on your part and you need to let people know what you are doing. Social media have really helped me, and help most of us in this life , music like ten years ago is a bit more challenging because you need to get it out there but now social media will help you put out your music. So, I don’t really see these things as challenges per say I just see it like is a normal process of life and a stage. Right now, am still trying to get people to know me and like my music get them right and the proper awareness, so with time things will click;  and I think am good and my followership is good too.

You seems to be a stylish person, so do you choose your clothes according to your performance or do you just choose anything and perform with it?
Well my fashion sense or my sense of fashion speak a lot about my personality. It’s who I am, first and foremost like I told you, I have interest in fashion and I understood what works for me.  A lot of people go into fashion they don’t understand, so I understand it and I know what I want so for me they both blend and my personality blend into my music so is like one complementing the other and it comes naturally. It just my personality speaking through my fashion and then it just blend into the song and then everything just come like that.
So what would you say is your best fashion accessories?
My shoes
You usually have a nice hair style, what actually inspire your haircut?
My face, Laugh! I understand the kind of face I have and then I think it also has to do with my mood for a season, like now I have a low haircut. I just wake up sometimes busy and have this urge of cutting my hair, it does not make sense to people around me but it just has to do with my mood, this is what I want so the next minute you can see me carrying a heavy hairstyle. Another thing that inspire my hair style is what I wear like this my haircut fits a particular outfit, however there are some outfit I cannot wear. Thank God for weave on now, so anytime I put on an outfit that does not fit my haircut I put on a weave on. My personality is expressed in everything I see around me most times.
Do you get nervous before any performance?
Not really because I enjoy what am doing and I started at an early age. When I was in primary school, I did a lot of kids program and I was the anchor person most times. The truth is you don’t get used to being on stage because the audience you face are different but when you enjoy doing something there is confidence in what you are doing (smiles). Even though sometimes I get tense but I tell myself Joy if you get tense how you are going to face your audience so I go on stage and enjoy myself.
You said you are an investment banker and a fashion designer, how do you balance this three together?
Well for me, am a very passionate person by nature and I plan my time, I don’t try to steal into any of it. I know the time for work and the time for music. I do my music weekends but when am into producing a song I spend the whole night in the studio when everyone is sleeping and I will also figure that I don’t have much work in my profession so that it will not affect it.

So are you saying you are a part time musician?
Yes for now I am. Music is something I enjoy doing. Music is my passion and investment banking is my profession. I enjoy doing both. And am also into fashion too.

Can we call you a banker, a musician and a fashion designer?
Music and fashion go hand in hand. If you look at most international musicians, most have of them have a fashion line. Yemi Alade I think also have a fashion line, she is very stylish and her style goes with her music. In my profession as investment banker you also look good, there is a way you dress in a corporate dress that looks unique. As a matter of fact fashion is life and there are people that have extra interest or are gifted in that area. As for me, it’s a talent, so I have a way I juggle everything together.
So would you say you are a gifted fashion designer or you aredeveloping talent for it?
Fashion is something I have talent for even though I don’t sketch. I started making my own clothes one year ago but I have being making other people’s clothes like four (4) years ago. What prompted me to making my own clothes is because I always have a funny experience with my tailors, so there is a particular tailor I had who advise me to go into fashion, each time he sees me he starts laughing because he knows we are going to sit down and really talk about my outfits. I bring ideas and he really likes me and like being around me. I always bring a twist to whatever he is putting out there to people it must not be my clothes. I don’t throw my old clothes away especially if it is a gift.  I find a way of twisting my old clothes. I know I have a gift in this area so I decided to develop it.
Who do you admire in the music industry?
Looking at it among the gospel artists, I admire Sinach, I admire her because she can release more than ten songs in an album and the only thing that make you know is her is her voice she never repeat songs and she also write her songs. All her songs touches the soul. And on the male side I like Frank Edward and Tim Godfery and few other people. Going circular I like Beyoncé   and I have being following her right from when I was a teenager; then she was with destiny child. She has a personality that I admire. Besides her singing she have an aura around her. Back to Nigeria I love Tiwa Savage, she is my girl. I like her versatility and her ability to switch, she have the stage carriage and she is different. Am also beginning to like Yemi Alade I like the fact that she is doing her thing and she is doing it well. I love Banking W due to the fact that he sings very well and most times his music are based on his personality. I started following him since 2008.
How can your fans gain access to your music?
I have links in which my fans can gain access to my songs and most of my songs are singles so they can just click on the link and download the song.
How many singles have you release so far?
I have release three (3) singles. “The joy of Christmas” which was release December 2015 and this year I have release two songs which are “if you love me” and “our love na correct” was release February 15th .
What should your fans be expecting in the near future?
They should be expecting more, Ajuma is on the go. Am a moving train and this things just drop on me and when anything drops on me I just put it down. My two songs “if you love me” and “our love nah correct” was written the same day. The songs just kept up ringing on my head after I finished my morning devotion so I recorded it and send it to my producer. My songs are going to be more of gospel song and my songs always have the Igala thing and I also trip in the Hausa thing because I grow up in the north and am a traditional girl; so I try to project the African thing. Am not going to try to be anyone else just to fit in because a lot of time people change their identity just to fit in. I am going to set my own path and if anybody chooses to follow it, fine. I can pick some ideas here and there but I will still do it my own way and I know that I will appeal to the right audience.

If you would choose again will you still choose music as one of your career?
Yes it is a part of me and it is who I am; is like breathing for me. When I breathe, music comes out.
What advice can you give to upcoming musicians?
Don’t do things because everybody is doing it. Somebody got into music not because they have passion for it but due to unemployment. But for me I love my music and am my number one fan.  So don’t just go into music because you see it as an escape make sure you have the required talent and things are evolving and don’t just do music because it is en-vogue; if you do that you won’t last. If you have love for music you can develop a passion for it. If you understand what works for you and stick to it that is my logo. It may not be a popular opinion but if you continue on that part it will take you to the top. And learn to be consistent, persistent, committed and just be yourself.

By Mercy Kukah