Saturday, May 8, 2010
Anaemene Igwedumma Michael aka Mike
Manna is a gospel artiste whose ambition is
to bring about positive changes in the
society through music. Mike who hails from
Awka in Anambra State is also an inspiration
to many people.
He attended Igwebuike Grammar School,
Awka and from there moved to Nana
College, Warri, Delta State where he sat for
his SSCE and passed with flying colours.
Mike later proceeded to the Delta State
University where he obtained a degree in
Geology.
The gospel artiste, who when not singing
works for a protocol company, traced his
musical origin to his family of: singers. He
says: “Everybody in my family sings, not
professionally though. My father was a
chorister in his church during his youthful
days and some of my siblings are song
writers. Really, I would say that I was born
into music and that music was infused into
me. I am a walking music because I live and
eat music. I often sing while walking on the
street. My neighbours and everybody
around me knows that I cannot do without
singing.
Apart from singing in the choir during my
secondary school days, I was an assistant
choir director in my university and then
during my NYSC, I also joined the choir.
Right now, I am a member of the choir in
my church. However, I started music
professionally about four years ago when I
went to the studio for the first time to
record my songs.”
Mike Manna opens up to Blockbuster
recently. Excerpts:
Why I shunned secular music
I believe that my gift is a calling of God as I
love to sing songs that lift the spirit and
impact lives. I sing about God, His salvation
and His kingdom. I also sing inspirational
songs but my greatest motivation is God,
that’s why I sing gospel songs. Since gospel
means good news, the message that God
wants to send to His people is good news.
On inspiration
The Holy Spirit inspires me. I also get my
inspiration from the scriptures, preachers,
life experiences, and the environment. In
fact, I get inspiration from everywhere.
Music sometimes comes to me as a message
or from words that I hear. It also comes as a
tune that I hear in my spirit. I may just be
somewhere and I hear someone say
something and it strikes a chord in me. I will
just write it down and later develop it.
Sometimes, the full song comes and I
quickly record it in my phone so I don’t
forget it. That’s why I am always with a
notebook and a phone that records.
D’emergence of Mike Manna
My new album is entitled, D’emergence. The
letter “D” instead of “the” is to give the title
a unique style. It is so titled because I have
nursed a dream of releasing an album for
years and finally it has come true. The
album is the fulfillment of a dream, the
materialization of a passion. Though, I
wouldn’t say that I have arrived, it is a good
start for me. The album is a showcase of
who I am really, that’s why it’s called,
D’emergence. I don’t really have any
favourite among the songs because to me
they are all good. But then I sing and listen
to some more. Basically, the songs will
appeal to people differently. However, for
the sake of marketing, Higher Higher is my
favourite.
Cost implication
Actually, the production of an album is
highly capital intensive, depending on the
quality of work you want to produce which
determines who and where you produce
your work. Because I wanted a quality job, I
have spent hundreds of thousands of naira
to put the album together.
There are 12 tracks in the album of which
two are re-mixes.
Challenges
It was not easy at the beginning because I
was inexperienced. I was looking for a
producer and a studio where I could
produce my work within a limited budget,
and before I could find the right people and
place, I had wasted a lot of money. I could
not even use most of the materials they did
for me, I had to rework them and remix
some others. There is the case of a video
that I shot and after spending over
N200,000, it turned out a poor job that I
could not even get myself to watch it. There
were so many challenges, mostly financial.
Marketing strategies
I have a company who handles the
marketing and distribution of the album
nationwide. The marketer uses his
distribution network to ensure wide
distribution of the album. I am also
promoting it through the media both
electronic and print. I also have a lot of
churches that have requested for my CD
because I have ministered there and they
were blessed. I am also doing direct
marketing.
On piracy
Piracy! It is my prayer that piracy is
stamped out of our system because it’s a
cankerworm that rips you off the reward of
your labour. It is disheartening for an
artiste to go through the tough times of
producing his work only for someone else
to rip him off his reward. It is not fair. My
promo single is already being pirated in CD
selections so you can imagine how painful
it is. That’s why I am happy with what PMAN
is doing to fight piracy. But PMAN cannot
fight it all alone, that’s why the government
must join us in fighting this cankerworm.
Role models
Fred Harmond is one of my role models. I
love his vocal prowess. I love Kirk Franklin
for his charisma and his strong lyrical
composition. Locally, I respect Samsong, he
has a mastery of his songs. I also have
great respect for Sammy Okposo, he is
something else. Whenever he mounts the
stage, he delivers.
My wife, source of encouragement
My woman has been a source of
encouragement to me. I am wedding next
Saturday, May 15 here in Lagos. Rice and
stew very plenty, just come with your big
gifts (laughs). Sometimes when I am invited
to perform, my wife goes with me. She
prays on my career regularly.
Wonderful experience
My experience as a gospel singer has been
pleasant and wonderful. It gives me great
pleasure when people call me or stop me on
the way and say that they were blessed by
my song, or that they were going through
some problems but that after listening to
my song, they were encouraged and lifted
in their spirit. It gives me great joy. I have
even received some wonderful gifts from
people after ministration. There was a case
of a man who after ministration said
because I have blessed him so much he
would want to sow something into my life.
He later brought me a TV set. It’s amazing
how people can love you.
I have had cases where I am walking on the
street and somebody I don’t know walks up
to me, gives me money and says “thank
you” for my music. It makes me fulfilled
when I see these things happening and I
get encouraged that I am doing something
good. So, I am using this opportunity to
thank my numerous fans all over the
country for supporting me, without them
there won’t be Mike Manna.
NIGERIAWORLD | NIGERIAWEB | MESSAGEBOARD | ANNOUNCE STORY | NAIJANET | STATE NEWS | SEARCH
Good Evening! Monday May 10, 2010
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