INTERVIEW:
BELLA SHMURDA
With a staggering 6.1M followers, over 550 million streams and the position of 10th most streamed artist in Nigeria of all time according to Apple Music 2021, TIRADE WORLD is here to introduce multi-award winner, Bella Shmurda: the "NEW VOICE OF THE STREET".
Interview by Francetta Evans-Anfom
Styling by Kojo Hammond
Photography by Kane Folasade Oluwo
Location Hokus Pokus
I'm sure everybody asks you this but where did your love for music come from?
"My love for music comes from the streets. I come from the streets so I just want to change the streets. I just want to ginger the streets. I just want to make them happier. I'm doing it for the people less privileged. I want to be their hope, their voice. That's why I love music so much."
I love that. You're taking your sound from Nigeria to the world but let's take the world to Nigeria. What are your favourite places in Lagos and why?
"My favourite places in Lagos? I like Sailor’s Lounge, it's one of those lounges and they serve seafood - I'm a fan of seafood. I like W bar, it's beside the water and I'm a water boy, so that's one of my favourite places in Lagos. The Slave Trade Center, you understand, for history purposes... I'm a history student, so I like to learn more of these things and majorly I like_____ and that's where I come from. That's where I was brought up. Everything for me started majorly from there. Those are the places I love in Lagos."
Now you've brought us a new single, ‘My Friend’, and I'm liking it. Is it about a significant person in your life?
"Nah, not really; more about significant people I don't really talk to anymore, people I can’t get in touch with anymore. I'm just here to say, even if we aren't talking, it doesn't mean we have problems or you’ve offended me. I'm just trying to pass that message on that I'm working, I have to get that money. I have to be a better person. If I'm not getting through to you, I didn't forget you and I'm not trying to be proud. Things have changed, you know. You have to change too and move on. You can't be in one place for life."
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Varsity Jacket: Live Look Loud T-Shirt: Scum Trousers: BoohooMANOfficial
What have you got planned for 2022?
"2022, big things planned. Majorly, we're releasing the singles. Majorly we're just observing; trying to compose the album perfectly and we push it out."
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