She was just the girl next door until a few years ago when her involvement with the then rave of the moment, Emmanuel Okosie, a.k.a Soul E, brought her into limelight. It was not the love affair between the singer and this ex-banker that made their union peculiar such that it became the talk of the town, but the fact that beautiful and articulate Ure Adaku Okezie(better known as Queen Ure) was about eleven years older than her heartthrob. Their marriage eventually hit the rocks some years back but Queen has not ceased to be in the public view even as Soul E has since gone into oblivion. Articulate and eloquent, Queen who has found love in music in this interview with BUKOLA BAKARE, opens up on why she’s still not married at forty and how she handles her sexual urge. She also talks about her new musical effort among other interesting issues.
Your album is titled
Porpori. What’s it all about?
One of the tracks in the album is titled Porpori that is why I titled the whole
album, Porpori. It’s a fifteen track album and an expression of various part of
me. We have got R & B, Country, Hip Hop, Highlife and there is equally
gospel. It’s me putting myself out there and telling people to have a feel of
me and see what I have to offer.
Porpori. What’s it all about?
One of the tracks in the album is titled Porpori that is why I titled the whole
album, Porpori. It’s a fifteen track album and an expression of various part of
me. We have got R & B, Country, Hip Hop, Highlife and there is equally
gospel. It’s me putting myself out there and telling people to have a feel of
me and see what I have to offer.
Who
are the producers you actually worked with?
I basically worked with two producers; Gorgy Nathaniel, who produced thirteen
of the songs and Dude Tetsola who produced the remaining two songs.
are the producers you actually worked with?
I basically worked with two producers; Gorgy Nathaniel, who produced thirteen
of the songs and Dude Tetsola who produced the remaining two songs.
What
messages are you trying to pass across to people through your album?
It’s a whole lot because music comes in different dimensions. First of all,
entertainment is important because people must be able to move their bodies to
your song. Secondly, you should have a particular message that you are passing
to everyone, you could just be expressing yourself. Most of the songs are love
songs and the ones that have specific messages when it comes to love centers on
fidelity. One of the songs is titled, Only you, it’s a Reggae song and I am
trying to express myself like a spouse expressing love to her partner that it’s
just only you. Because you were there for me, I am going to love only you, so
the message there is fidelity that you should stick to one person who has been
there for you. We have got another one titled Better Place which tells everyone
to be better people and by so doing, we will make our world a better place. The
country song, Better tomorrow encourages everyone to expect a better tomorrow,
forget the past and look forward to a better tomorrow and the Porpori song itself
is just an expression body dey do me popori any time wey I see you. In other
words, when I see you I am excited, I am thrilled, so people should focus on
what makes them excited and ignore the things that make them feel bad.
Basically, I have got songs with various messages, various styles.
messages are you trying to pass across to people through your album?
It’s a whole lot because music comes in different dimensions. First of all,
entertainment is important because people must be able to move their bodies to
your song. Secondly, you should have a particular message that you are passing
to everyone, you could just be expressing yourself. Most of the songs are love
songs and the ones that have specific messages when it comes to love centers on
fidelity. One of the songs is titled, Only you, it’s a Reggae song and I am
trying to express myself like a spouse expressing love to her partner that it’s
just only you. Because you were there for me, I am going to love only you, so
the message there is fidelity that you should stick to one person who has been
there for you. We have got another one titled Better Place which tells everyone
to be better people and by so doing, we will make our world a better place. The
country song, Better tomorrow encourages everyone to expect a better tomorrow,
forget the past and look forward to a better tomorrow and the Porpori song itself
is just an expression body dey do me popori any time wey I see you. In other
words, when I see you I am excited, I am thrilled, so people should focus on
what makes them excited and ignore the things that make them feel bad.
Basically, I have got songs with various messages, various styles.
You
have a background in music but what prompted you to go commercial?
I have always known that I would do music in this capacity and level but I just
didn’t know when. When the time came, I just said ‘don’t let this talent be a
waste’. I decided to pursue it because anything that is worth doing is what
doing well. It’s not too good for you to have lovely songs, you sing well, you
have all it takes to make an impact in the industry and in the lives of people
through music and then you just let the talent to lie fallow and not use it,
it’s not really the best . I just decided to go ahead and do it so it’s not a
new thing for me in any way. I am not someone who will say let me come and
write songs, I don’t have to think about it because as things happen, the
inspiration for songs will come, so I am still writing songs even though the
album has been released. When it’s time for the next album, I already have a
repertoire to choose from.
have a background in music but what prompted you to go commercial?
I have always known that I would do music in this capacity and level but I just
didn’t know when. When the time came, I just said ‘don’t let this talent be a
waste’. I decided to pursue it because anything that is worth doing is what
doing well. It’s not too good for you to have lovely songs, you sing well, you
have all it takes to make an impact in the industry and in the lives of people
through music and then you just let the talent to lie fallow and not use it,
it’s not really the best . I just decided to go ahead and do it so it’s not a
new thing for me in any way. I am not someone who will say let me come and
write songs, I don’t have to think about it because as things happen, the
inspiration for songs will come, so I am still writing songs even though the
album has been released. When it’s time for the next album, I already have a
repertoire to choose from.
Did
you feature anyone on the album?
Yes, I featured Dude Tetsola on one of the songs he produced.
you feature anyone on the album?
Yes, I featured Dude Tetsola on one of the songs he produced.
What
has the reception and general experience been like among the established
artistes?
Wonderful, great, exciting. I worked with wonderful people, great producers. My
mum and elder brothers are singers so it’s nothing new to my family and
friends. Only people who are not close to me feel otherwise, you know a lot of
people are getting into music these days and would go like ‘Queen Ure too wants
to sing because everyone is’ without knowing whether I have got the talent or
not, so quite a number of people are skeptical and wonder what does she have to
offer? She just wants to be noticed. However, I get calls from people who have
bought the album that it is a fantastic body of work . Though somewhat shocked,
they have been supportive and everybody wants to be part of it.
has the reception and general experience been like among the established
artistes?
Wonderful, great, exciting. I worked with wonderful people, great producers. My
mum and elder brothers are singers so it’s nothing new to my family and
friends. Only people who are not close to me feel otherwise, you know a lot of
people are getting into music these days and would go like ‘Queen Ure too wants
to sing because everyone is’ without knowing whether I have got the talent or
not, so quite a number of people are skeptical and wonder what does she have to
offer? She just wants to be noticed. However, I get calls from people who have
bought the album that it is a fantastic body of work . Though somewhat shocked,
they have been supportive and everybody wants to be part of it.
New
comers in the industry, especially males, complain of not being given a chance
but here you are, people are offering to help. Could this be as a result of the
fact that you are a lady?
I don’t know (laughs) I think that the sky is big enough for all of us to fly
and I am so excited about what I am doing. I am so excited and I have not
experienced any form of hostility from any artiste, not at all. Even, if there
is, I may not notice. You know when you are busy and happy with what you do,
even if there is some form of negativity, you may not even notice because you
are so much into what you are doing. Everywhere I have been to, radio stations,
television houses, I have been warmly welcomed. Music is creative so what you
are doing may not be what I am doing; we need to cooperate, collaborate and
avoid competition so that the industry can grow.
comers in the industry, especially males, complain of not being given a chance
but here you are, people are offering to help. Could this be as a result of the
fact that you are a lady?
I don’t know (laughs) I think that the sky is big enough for all of us to fly
and I am so excited about what I am doing. I am so excited and I have not
experienced any form of hostility from any artiste, not at all. Even, if there
is, I may not notice. You know when you are busy and happy with what you do,
even if there is some form of negativity, you may not even notice because you
are so much into what you are doing. Everywhere I have been to, radio stations,
television houses, I have been warmly welcomed. Music is creative so what you
are doing may not be what I am doing; we need to cooperate, collaborate and
avoid competition so that the industry can grow.
Have
you noticed the hostility new comers and hustlers face in the industry probably
or you are not in it for the monetary gain?
I am already making money from it because I just launched my album. I usually
give an envelope with the pack that I distribute and quite a number of people
have returned the envelopes with cheque (laughs) I mean it’s all good. The
return on your investment does not have to be from one way, it could come from
shows and endorsements which I expect in the long run but for now it’s coming
from the launch of my work and it’s substantial. That is why I said it’s been
encouraging. When you do something excellently well, there is no way you won’t
have returns on your investment but I still expect that I will continue to do a
whole lot more as I continue to invest in music.
you noticed the hostility new comers and hustlers face in the industry probably
or you are not in it for the monetary gain?
I am already making money from it because I just launched my album. I usually
give an envelope with the pack that I distribute and quite a number of people
have returned the envelopes with cheque (laughs) I mean it’s all good. The
return on your investment does not have to be from one way, it could come from
shows and endorsements which I expect in the long run but for now it’s coming
from the launch of my work and it’s substantial. That is why I said it’s been
encouraging. When you do something excellently well, there is no way you won’t
have returns on your investment but I still expect that I will continue to do a
whole lot more as I continue to invest in music.
Are
there some things you learnt from your ex-husband Soul E that have helped to
mould you as an artiste?
Definitely. I had recorded some songs but when we met, I had to put them aside
and concentrate on his career, so that whole period gave me an opportunity to
understand the industry, how it works, what to do when you want to promote your
work, learn the market, how to get your album to the streets and all of that.
Working with him at that time gave me the opportunity to be prepared so now
it’s easy for me to do the things that I want to do.
You have received so
many knocks from critics but it seems it doesn’t get to you.
The truth is that those people who say negative things don’t know who you are,
they have never met you and you can’t blame them because they could be
listening to someone who probably made up stories about you, so I cannot be hostile
to someone who is talking out of ignorance. If you have to be happy in life,
you have to detach yourself from the opinion of people which is what I learnt a
long time ago. I completely detach myself from what people say about me. I have
to identify what I want to do, focus on it and do it well. Eventually, people
will come round and even if they don’t, it really does not matter.
there some things you learnt from your ex-husband Soul E that have helped to
mould you as an artiste?
Definitely. I had recorded some songs but when we met, I had to put them aside
and concentrate on his career, so that whole period gave me an opportunity to
understand the industry, how it works, what to do when you want to promote your
work, learn the market, how to get your album to the streets and all of that.
Working with him at that time gave me the opportunity to be prepared so now
it’s easy for me to do the things that I want to do.
You have received so
many knocks from critics but it seems it doesn’t get to you.
The truth is that those people who say negative things don’t know who you are,
they have never met you and you can’t blame them because they could be
listening to someone who probably made up stories about you, so I cannot be hostile
to someone who is talking out of ignorance. If you have to be happy in life,
you have to detach yourself from the opinion of people which is what I learnt a
long time ago. I completely detach myself from what people say about me. I have
to identify what I want to do, focus on it and do it well. Eventually, people
will come round and even if they don’t, it really does not matter.
At
a time you had a gospel ministry, at another, you were a life coach and now,
its music now. Don’t you feel that people will think that you are confused?
First of all, let me use the scripture from the bible, the parable of the five
talents. Bible says some were given one and some given many. I will say I am
someone who God has endowed with a lot of talents, I am saying this with all
humility and because I know that I don’t want any of those talents to be
wasted. I am a life coach, I trained at a coaching academy in London and it
costs a lot to train there, I paid for it so it’s not something that just fell
into my hands. I still train and facilitate for some consulting companies, I
still organize my own workshop, its part of me. So that is one. Secondly, the
ministry is all about reaching out. Whether you are reaching out from the
pulpit, through books or reaching out through music, you are still impacting
lives. It only becomes a religious thing when you talk about ministry in terms
of pulpit, so I have not left the ministry if you know what I mean. I am still
writing books, I am writer naturally so I write poems, books, songs and at the
moment, I’m working on a book and still reaching out. And for me, all of these
are intertwined, coaching, ministry, music and music is such a talent that if
you have it, you can keep singing until you are seventy, nobody is going to
stop you, it does not have anything to do with your physical body but what is
on the inside.
a time you had a gospel ministry, at another, you were a life coach and now,
its music now. Don’t you feel that people will think that you are confused?
First of all, let me use the scripture from the bible, the parable of the five
talents. Bible says some were given one and some given many. I will say I am
someone who God has endowed with a lot of talents, I am saying this with all
humility and because I know that I don’t want any of those talents to be
wasted. I am a life coach, I trained at a coaching academy in London and it
costs a lot to train there, I paid for it so it’s not something that just fell
into my hands. I still train and facilitate for some consulting companies, I
still organize my own workshop, its part of me. So that is one. Secondly, the
ministry is all about reaching out. Whether you are reaching out from the
pulpit, through books or reaching out through music, you are still impacting
lives. It only becomes a religious thing when you talk about ministry in terms
of pulpit, so I have not left the ministry if you know what I mean. I am still
writing books, I am writer naturally so I write poems, books, songs and at the
moment, I’m working on a book and still reaching out. And for me, all of these
are intertwined, coaching, ministry, music and music is such a talent that if
you have it, you can keep singing until you are seventy, nobody is going to
stop you, it does not have anything to do with your physical body but what is
on the inside.
How
easy was it for you to return to Chris Okotie’s church since you left on a sour
note, so to speak?
That is my church. As soon as I stopped doing pastoral work, I returned to my
church. He has always been my pastor; I mean I wouldn’t stop doing pastoral
work and then go to some other church, why would I do that? This church is like
a home to me, most of the people are my friends, sisters and brothers so it’s
only natural that after I stopped doing pastoral work that is the only place I
would return to.
easy was it for you to return to Chris Okotie’s church since you left on a sour
note, so to speak?
That is my church. As soon as I stopped doing pastoral work, I returned to my
church. He has always been my pastor; I mean I wouldn’t stop doing pastoral
work and then go to some other church, why would I do that? This church is like
a home to me, most of the people are my friends, sisters and brothers so it’s
only natural that after I stopped doing pastoral work that is the only place I
would return to.
You
are over forty. People expect you to have remarried. Are you not thinking about
it?
I’m not thinking about it but I would love to marry, why not? Definitely, I
would but at the moment, I don’t have such plans.
are over forty. People expect you to have remarried. Are you not thinking about
it?
I’m not thinking about it but I would love to marry, why not? Definitely, I
would but at the moment, I don’t have such plans.
At
a time, you were an item with the second runner up of Centage star competition,
Kossi, and you were passionate about him but we are not hearing anything
anymore?
We were good friends but he’s moved on and so have I.
a time, you were an item with the second runner up of Centage star competition,
Kossi, and you were passionate about him but we are not hearing anything
anymore?
We were good friends but he’s moved on and so have I.
Didn’t
your family raise an eyebrow over your continued single status?
My family would want me to be married but they are not bothering me, they are
not pressurizing me. They would want me to be happy if a relationship will make
me happy, fine, if not stay single.
your family raise an eyebrow over your continued single status?
My family would want me to be married but they are not bothering me, they are
not pressurizing me. They would want me to be happy if a relationship will make
me happy, fine, if not stay single.
Marriage
is one of the basic things that make African women. Is there something else
that makes you happy in your own case?
I have not said I would not want to be married but the truth is that happiness
is an innate thing. For me, I’m happy as I am now, (laughs) I’m having the best
time of my life. My happiness is not dependent on anybody.
is one of the basic things that make African women. Is there something else
that makes you happy in your own case?
I have not said I would not want to be married but the truth is that happiness
is an innate thing. For me, I’m happy as I am now, (laughs) I’m having the best
time of my life. My happiness is not dependent on anybody.
You
look beautiful as ever, what is the secret?
(Laughs) Nothing much. I eat well and do lots of exercises, not too much and I
take care of my body.
look beautiful as ever, what is the secret?
(Laughs) Nothing much. I eat well and do lots of exercises, not too much and I
take care of my body.
Since
you are not in any romantic relationship, how do you manage your sexual urge?
I control myself. That is it that is why there is a word called self control.
you are not in any romantic relationship, how do you manage your sexual urge?
I control myself. That is it that is why there is a word called self control.
But
there is a limit to that.
There is no limit. If you don’t want to do something there no way you would do.
there is a limit to that.
There is no limit. If you don’t want to do something there no way you would do.
Source: Daily Newswatch
