An Award-Winning English singer and rapper of Ghanaian and Guyanese decent from north-west London whose passion for a music-making has brought him this far .. Is the perfect definition for who Donaeo is (In my opinion)
He is no new figure when it comes to music in Africa and the UK.. He is already a veteran in his early 30s.. Yes!! Quote Me Anywhere.. Or what else would you call someone who has mentored the likes of sakordie, Fuse and a host of other top Ghanaian and International Artistes.
He is well known for his club banger, “Party Hard”. Which trended at almost every nigerian rave party some time back.. And is still trending.
Arguably one of Ghana’s finest Entertainment Entrepreneurs.. He serves as a source of inspiration to many young and famous artistes in Ghana and Africa..
9jaolofofo caught up with him recently and this week… we bring to you an exclusive Interview with ‘DONAEO’ .. Continue Reading…
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• What are your real names??
–» “My stage name, My God Given name is Donaeo (that means ‘gift from God’) and my real name is ‘Ian Greenidge’
• How and when did your music career all begin?
—» “My music career began when I was 16 years old, I made a song called ‘Bounce’.. There was a producer called ‘sticky’ who was big at that time.. I worked under a record company owned by the legendary ‘Jason Kay’. That song went on to become a massive garage hit.
Things got down and I came back again with the baseline seeing that I did songs like ‘United, Falling, colours’
In spite of all the ups & downs.. I came back again with the ‘Funky House’.. I blew up with ‘Devil in the Blue Dress, African warrior, Party Hard, Move to the Gyal & now ‘Big Ben’ which now has the remix with sarkodie and Ice Prince (The Video is coming soon)”
• We In Nigeria have seen some amazing hits from you which include Party hard & Big Ben, What’s next? What are we expecting from Donaeo?
—» “Uhmmn.. At the moment, am working on my third album, My first album was called ‘Party Hard’ & My second Album ‘Indigo Child’
Right now am just focused on the third album, I have got a few ideas for songs and stuffs like that and that’s where ‘Big Ben’ came up from.. ‘Big Ben’ was the first single from the third album.. That’s basically what am working on at the moment.”
• ‘Music In Ghana’ and ‘Music In Nigeria’ .. Share your views (Comparison)
—» “I find music in Ghana is a lot more faster.. Like with the Hip life and its a lot more closer to like ‘Funky House’..
I find Nigerian Music is slower and closer to Hip Hop & RnB.. But over the past years, I have been to both countries and it seems like the Nigerian Music has started to speed up.
But apart from that, There is an Afro Beat style that Is similar.. I think the artistes themselves are quite similar.. The music they sing behind has some form of different influences though..”
• Regarding your third album, Are you working on more foreign & Big Collaborations?
—» “I am doing my thang thang!! Really!! You know this.. When I came to Ghana, I met a lot of Artistes and Sarkodie was definitely one of them .. ‘Shouts out to Sarkodie’ and I liked his vibe.. we sat down and talked & I respect him as an artiste..
When it came to going to Nigeria, I ve met Faze, I ve met D’Banj but we ve never really met in a situation where we ve had a chance to talk.
When it came to Ice Prince now, He came over to England & one of my friends ‘Eddy Cardy’ who is a very popular comedian over there.. Was like “Look, You need to work with this guy, He is talented” and I already loved ‘Oleku’ (I did a cover on my YouTube page) If I go somewhere and I like an artiste.. I ll definitely reach out.. There are some few collaborations going on but I don’t really like saying things cos if ‘It Jinx it.. It Jinx It’ *coughs* ”
What would Donaeo say has been his biggest achievements in the music industry so far?
—» “The first achievement I would say is being able to run my own business cos that’s what it is at the moment.. I am Donaeo, that’s the main business, the record company is zephron, I have my own booking agent, I have a P.A, A manager, I ve got a Tour Manager as well.. Like all these people they work underneath me. I wanna give a shoutout to Azzy & Olu, Those guys are my left & my right arms.. *Laughing*
I think the biggest achievement is being able to set up a business and have your friends work for you.. At least give them a life and have your people around… At the moment, I am independent, doing the kind of music I love without anyone telling me what to do.
I think another big achievement from me is ‘Party Hard’ .. It achieved so much popularity.. I wouldn’t have even expected that song to go that far and be so wildly embraced by America, The west Indies, Africa.. So many people were like we love that song.. That song is amazing.
Those basically should be the two things I consider as achievements from me.”
• Yo.. Give a shoutout to your fans in Nigeria.
—» “I wanna give a shoutout to all my fans in Nigeria, without you guys I really wouldn’t be here to be honest.. So I wanna say ‘Thank You Very Much’
As regards people that wanna follow their dreams, become musicians, take life and create something for themselves…
The first advice I ll say is ‘get a job, once you get a job you are not gonna worry about money..you ll be focused on making good music.. cos if you worry about money that’s when your music dream ll be jeopardised.
The second thing is ‘work double as hard as everyone else’
The most important thing is ‘Go get a job for peace of mind so you can go into that studio and make beautiful music for people to vouch to.. once you can do that and add values to people’s lives.. The money ll come to you!!!” postedb by oluwaseun lekan
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