Anny, a woman of faith and hope bares her heart on her music career and world.

Anny

Anny, a woman of faith and hope bares her heart on her music career and world in an exclusive interview with Olori Wendy.

Tell us more about Anny, educational, childhood, and family background?

Anny is my stage name, my real names are Anne Emmanuel Ibrahim. I am from Delta state, from Ethiope West LG and from Jesse town to be more precised.  I am a very down to earth person. I love sincere people, I love God and I am a very relationship minded person. I am a wife, mother, entrepreneur and most of all, I am a musician.

I have HND in Banking and finance from the Kano State Polytechic and also a masters degree holder from Bayero University kano. I am the 4th of 6 children

How long have you been involved with music?

Music for me started at a very young age of eleven. When I joined my church children's choir and later graduated to the adult choir, from where i started writing my songs and here i am today

Why gospel music?

Gospel because

1. I grew up singing gospel music and learned a lot about music doing gospel.

2. Because no one can give what they dont have, singing praises to God was the key for me due to my foundation, hence gospel

3. Because it is my duty to preach the good news which is what gospel is about.

Has there been any challenges so far, especially as people assume it is easier with gospel music?

Haa that is a very wrong assumption o. We all have same challenges. Even more for the gosple artist. We pay same amount for producers and director just to keep the pace up and to bring out quality stuff too. Aside that, we have the challenge of piracy etc

For me combining family and business has been the challenge but I am moving forward will the help of my family.

What inspires your songs?

I get inspired by things that happen in my life and my surroundings. I write songs when I am sad and do same when am happy. I am presently working on a Peace and Love song featuring different artistes from differnt parts of Nigeria. But most of all God inspires me the most.

What have you benefited so far in your music career?

Well, a lot o. I will not deny that fact that music has given me so much both material and good friendships. It has given me fame too. The list is endendless

My awards and various nominations are also some of the benefits of music o. The best gosple artist at the 2010 Women in entertainment and art in the UK, two times nominations at the NMVA (nigeria music video awards) for best gospel. Also the best music video at the national gosple wards. Best female gosple art at the nigeria gospel awards. And the most recent nomination is the one for the upcoming Crystal Awards were i got nominated for the best music video( Woruno) and best collaboration.

What are you presently up to in your music career?

Hmmmm.... So many things actually. I have been working on new songs. Planning to bring out my next single maybe singles, cos i intend to release the Peace song first before my other songs. The Peace is more pressing and more important to me right now giving by what is going on in the country and around the world. I am not happy with the unrest in Nigeria presently. I am also putting finishing touches to my Peace and Love concert. It is my own way of giving back to the society. The concert is billed to hold on the 29th of June at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki by 5pm. I am also planning to shoot a video before the year ends.

What's your most memorable moment, positively and negatively, on stage?

Lol, negatively will be when I fell on the stage while singing and dancing at a concert in Yola....i mistakenly stepped on the long flowing dress I wore. Hmmm i even fractured my foot. And then positively will be the times I had to do collabo with various artistes and performed for the president

Besides music, are you involved in any other business?

Yes, I am into the fashion business. I run an outfit called "Purple Wardrobe". We deal on clothes, shoes, bag etc. I believe that looking good is good business.

Is there anything you want people to know about Anny as well as words of encouragement for aspiring artistes?

I want people to know that being a gospel artiste does not limit my versatility as an artiste. I am able to write and sing love songs, peace, inspirational as much as i can sing pure christian religious songs.

I want to encourage everyone to be focused in their various fields not just music. To believe they can be successful if they put their minds to it. And most of all to know that no matter what our dreams and aspirations are, only God is able to bring them to reality.