Music took over after my football dream crashed – Tony Major

_Anthony Onyekachukwu Ikenna Anizor Nwakasi, popularly known by his stage name, Major of Africa, is set to launch his debut musical album on December 29, 2022, at Umuoba Anam, Otuocha, Anambra East local government area of Anambra state. The Sienna, Italy-based footballer-turned-musician, in this interview with Olisemeka Obeche, sheds light on his epoch-making album launch, and his antecedents as an artiste, among other things. Excerpts

We understand your first major album launch has been slated for December 29, 2022. Please tell us about this event and what it means for your musical career.

First of all, this album lunch means a lot to me because it is the first time I’m officially coming out to promote my works anywhere. I consider it as the beginning of my music career. It’s so significant for me and that is why I decided to launch it at my hometown, Umuoba Anam, Otuocha. That is where I was born and raised and so I feel that I should return to my base to officially flag off my career as a music artiste. I’m indeed excited as this new chapter of my life opens right from my birth place.

How many songs do you have in this hit album and can you tell us more about those songs and the messages you are trying to send through them?

Well, I have six tracks on the album which is titled ‘Money controlling the world?’ The title is my own way of addressing the ‘make-money-by-all-means’ syndrome that is prevalent in our society today. Most Nigerians, especially the youths, are doing all sorts of things in their desperate bid to make money and live the luxurious lifestyle. This has been made escalated by the worsening economic crisis we have found ourselves in the country today and which has resulted in lack of job opportunities for youths. As a result, I used this track to address this money-palaver.
I also decided to talk about that because I consider myself a messenger through music and that is exactly what I did in all the tracks ie passing the message. In this age when most young musicians are just interested in beats, I have chosen a different path. My music career is about speaking to the people of my generation. I preach the gospel of truth, hard work, faith and hope in a better future, among other things, through my music. I consider myself a teacher, preacher, even a prophet in the music industry.
This is largely the reason I try to do songs that people can relate to and reflect on. I believe that in any condition or situation you find yourself, there’s a song that I made for you in the album because a music is a veritable tool to touch every part of people’s problems, encourage them, give them hope, support them with ideas and encouragement. It is common knowledge that a lot of people are dying silently and going through pains every day.

Which of these songs appeals to you most and why?

The song, Money Controls the World means a lot to me because I used it to talk about what my friends, family relations and most people in Nigeria and Africa are talking about today. Everybody is engaged in one form of hustling or the other to make money and unfortunately, some people are willing to do anything, including killing people, to make money. And there is a reason for that. Money controls everything. Incidentally, it surprises and confused me when people say money is not everything, meanwhile we all know that money is everything and whatever money cannot do, it is only God that can do it. Before I said money is everything or money controls the world, I have a reason for that. Anybody that tells you that money is not everything is just deceiving you. There’s nothing you can do in this life without money. Most people die in poverty because of lack of money to take care of their basic needs. Everything about life is money and money and money, nothing else. Money isn’t everything but when you wake up in the morning, you go looking for it. So, tell me what you can do without money? Do you remember when Jesus Christ was asked to pay his tax in the bible? That’s when he sent his apostles to go fishing and when they caught one fish, he commanded them to open its mouth there was money in its mouth. Do you know what could happen if Christ didn’t pay the money requested from him? That is one of the reasons money controls the world. That is the message I was trying to pass across. However, it is my belief that people should not do bad things in order to make money.

Where did the ideas come from and how were they transformed in your mind? I mean, what did you start with and how did you refine these beginnings into the finished work of art?

Well, music is inspirational and I can’t explain everything about it. It comes as inspiration; it comes when it wants. It comes like a spirit on its own; comes when it wants to come and goes when it wants.

The Tony Major we know started as a gospel artiste but later veered off into highlife. Can you share with us the reason behind this transition, when and why you moved?

Point of correction, I started my music career with a local Ogene musical group in 1996 and stopped in 2003. Then, I was in the secondary school and we used the group to entertain people around the community. I later travelled to Italy in August 2011. It was there that I switched to gospel music, producing my first and second albums of gospel songs. The story of how I started my musical career is unbelievable. I never knew that I would end up a musician. To date, I am still marveled at how I ended up as a musician. Growing up, I never considered it a profession. It was just a pastime, something that comes naturally which I used to entertain local folks. All I wanted was to become a professional footballer. Infact, I travelled to Italy with the sole aim to play professional football because that is what I love more than anything else. Throughout my childhood, I spent greater time playing football than I did music. Unfortunately, my football dream did not materialise and music eventually took over my life. Incidentally, since I embraced it, music has changed my life. I have become a totally different person. Like I said early, music inspires me a lot and, in turn, I try to use it to give back to society.
However, I must also add that I didn’t change from gospel to highlife or from high life to R&B and hip-hop. No, what you see is a product of versatility. I see it as just the grace of God, to be able to entertain society under a multi-platform level. It is just an inspiration. It can come today as hiphop, it may come tomorrow as gospel, next tomorrow high life, so it depends on inspiration how it come, and when it comes I have no option but to start working on it. Howeverr, don’t forget my father is a great traditional cultural musician entertainment in my village and not only my father but his father, my grandfather was a musician. As the first son of my father, music is in my DNA.

When exactly did you start writing and producing music – and what or who were your early passions and influences?

I started writing songs around September 2011 and my first time in studio was in 2015 in Italy, precisely, Genesis recording studio.

Your father was a local musician. How much did he influence your musical career?

My father still doesn’t believe that I am a music artiste, to date. It was a surprise to all my friends and family because nobody was expecting something like that from me. Even I sometimes, usually wonder how I ended up in music entertainment. I can’t believe it because it was not in my dream when I was growing up. And that may be because my father never took music as a full-time profession. All his life, music was just a pastime, something he enjoyed doing to entertain his age groups and towns folk. That may be the reason I also never considered music as a career until I came to Italy and football did not work out for me.

How would you describe your development as an artist and the transition towards your brand of highlife music?

My music career is very different from others because of the message, lyrics, melodies, stories, sound etc. Music came naturally to me. I did not study it anywhere or understudy anyone. I created my path and am currently sticking with it. Though, I am not perfect – no one is – in this my learning stage, I try as much as I can to remain original and true to myself. I can say that I bring my Igbo cum African philosophy into my music and only those who are familiar with or understand where I am coming from will appreciate my music.

What makes Tony Major of Africa brand of highlife music special?

Tony Major brand of music is special because the message is different. I believe in creating a story and messages.

Apart from music, you also engage in other creative ventures. Can you share that with us?

I can proudly say that I am a talented artiste. I have other creative potentials which I am still trying to develop. Entertainment runs in my blood. Entertainment in whatever form, acting, singing, comedy, master of ceremony, football, I am into it.