A lot of artistes are really making head way into the fledging music industry most especially in the R&B genre of music. And one person that is really representing is Femi Adeyinka with stage name FEMI. He is the immediate younger brother of Gbenga Adeyinka 1st. Femi who spent most of his years in the States before returning home last year to do music is signed unto Kennis music and is really making a statement for himself as a R&B artiste. He had a chat with MURPHY FADAIRO where he talked about why he chose his genre of music, how it all started, his relationship with Kennis music and other interesting read. Excerpts

You are some of the few artistes that is doing R&B genre of music in Nigeria the way it is been done in the States and knowing full well that the Nigerian market is not really ready for this; how would you say the kind of music is doing since you started out last?

At first I am going to be sincere with you I was a little bit nervous because I didn’t know if the fans will accept my kind of music or not. But honestly since I started, the response has been great and awesome. It has encouraged me and even made me more determined to do what I have always wanted to do and stay to being me. So far so good I thank God.

You were in the States for a couple of years; have you been singing since then or you actually came to Nigeria studied the market and saw that the vacuum of an R&B singer wasn’t much, so you chose to sing R&B?

I have been doing music way back in the States and I have been doing it because I enjoyed doing it. And I tell a lot of people, I came to Nigeria to come visit my family because I have not been here in a long time. And my big brother Gbenga Adeyinka 1st said I should come check out the music industry in Nigeria and see what is going on. I hadn’t even stayed long with my family I had the opportunity of doing a meeting with Kennis music, got signed of Kennis music and that was it. I believe whatever you are destined to be God has a way of making it manifest in your life.

So your elder brother Gbenga Adeyinka 1st was instrumental in making you get the Kennis music deal or would you say his name opened doors for you to be known in the industry?

If I say my brother was not an influence in anything I will be lying. He paved the way for me and paved the way well. But want thing that I know my brother for is if I was not good, he would not put his name behind this brand to himself. So he listened to my music, we hooked up with Kennis music, they listened to my music and they got involved with it. The bottom line is if I wasn’t good. My brother wouldn’t put his name behind me. So it is because I am good.

Were you born in the States because your accent sounds foreign; and how was growing up like?

The thing is a lot of people say my accent is foreign but it doesn’t seem so to me. I was born here in Nigeria, stayed a little while before I moved to the States. And growing up in America was a typical American thing; I think at times people get America confused saying it is all bed of roses but it is tough too and at the end of the day it is survival. I have been surviving and at the end of the day I thank God that I am doing what I love to do which is singing R&B music in my motherland.

In your kind of music which is R&B I know most of your fans will be females and just like many other artistes they will flock around you like bee; how do you handle them?

If you really want something and you want to be the best at it; you don’t let anything to distract you. I tell a lot of people I didn’t come home to fail, I came home to succeed. So I have to be focus and do what I have to do to succeed. I have female fans and I don’t let them distract me. Don’t forget I also have my family to keep me in line and tell me Bro you came back home to succeed. These are the things to do and these are the things you don’t need to focus on right now. For me I will say I want this music thing more than anything so I can let anything girls or any other distraction to get in the way of that.

There is a lot of competition in the industry; since people are not really accustomed to a Nigerian singing the American R&B like you have R.Kelly, Joe, Brain McKnight do it. Do you think you can last or maybe in the future you think you may diversify into the Naija kind of music that is not too slow or soft? I mean people want to listen to club songs where they can jump, dance and everything.

One thing about me is that you have to do something for the area to move. So if you are looking for something for the club you can still find it with FEMI, if it is something for you and your love one it is still FEMI, if you are looking for something to toast a girl you can still find it with me. There is no restriction it is still core R&B, it is how you do it and still relate with it. I just dropped two singles, if you listen “Playlist” it is totally a club banger and it is still R&B. It is just how you fuse it and how you do it.

When is your album dropping because so far I know about the collabos you did with Idris Abdulkarim I get Money, Never felt in love?

I have two singles on air now which I dropped three days ago titled Capital F.E.M.I and Playlist. The album is coming out this year and the title of the album is Capital F.E.M.I The Year of R&B.

So what would you want your fans to anticipate in the coming album?

All I am going to say is they are going to get the best of me. And so far I want to thank them for giving me what I have given and for accepting me.

I know a lot of energy have been put into your music but still you are an adult you should have a girl friend or a fiancée and when do you think marriage is coming?

The thing is I don’t have a girl friend or fiancée. Even if I try to have one I won’t have time for her. I pity any girl that will want to date me at this time of my career. Am still a baby in this game, am still working hard, am doing a genre of music that is not too known so it is hard work. Even when I am dropping the album the promotion is going to be times ten because it is a kind of music that people are not too crazy about.

We have heard a lot of stories about Kennis music. People say the label is a cheat, although they give people opportunity to become stars but after that the relationship just goes sour. Look at the case of Tuface Idibia, Kelly Handsome, Idris Abdulkarim before they reconciled and many others. What kind of family would you say Kennis music is?

Kennis music is the greatest family for me. We forget something we are in the business of making music. At the end of the day educate yourself with the business and make sure you go into a contract that will be good for you. For me I entered into a relationship with Kennis music know fully well what they want and what I want. We had the same goal in mind and that is why the marriage is working.

So since your album is not dropped yet , are you looking at doing collaborations with other artistes for example Darey Art Alade who also does R&B but his is kind of different from yours am sure you know what I mean or any other artiste?

Well I am open-minded to a collabos with Darey or any other artistes. And just to let you know I have already done some collabos with some artistes I just don’t want to let the cat out of the bag yet. It is a beautiful thing when two artistes come together and make good music.

Do you want to tell your fans anything?

Thank you very much for the support so far and I hope you keep supporting me. I also want to tell you to watch out for the album Capital F.E.M.I. it is going to be out this year, just look out for it and it is going to be the balm, Trust me