Bukky Wright's son grants his first media interview

Bukky Wright's son grants his first media interview

Up and coming artiste, Ojay Wright, is the son of popular Nigerian actress, Bukky Wright. In this interview with Saturday Beats, the young lad talks about his career, love life and relationship with his famous mother

How would you describe your genre of music?

I don’t really have a specific genre of music but if I am to classify my kind of sound, I would call it afro-pop which is more or less the new school sound that we have today.

What does your new song, Kritical265, mean?

To be honest, the number, 265, has nothing to do with the title of the song. It so happens that when the person that produced the song wanted to save it on his system, he just included the number 265 after Kritical and I liked how it looked, so I decided to title the song, Kritical 265, just the way it was saved on the producer’s system.

You started out as an R‘n’B singer, why did you switch to singing high tempo commercial songs?

It is true but these days, everybody is saying that it is the ‘streets’ that fetch the money; so we had to do a club song for the street. That is what the public wants. I can make such songs but it is just not my style. I am someone who loves to get out of my comfort zone and that is why I made a song that people can dance to. However, when it comes to making music, you have to be able to diversify. I remember about 10 years ago when it was mostly foreign songs that were played on the radio and in clubs. But today, things have changed. Nigerians now demand for songs that they can relate to. Nobody wants foreign music anymore. The market basically pressured me into delivering a ‘club’ song to Nigerians.

So what is happening to your career as an R‘n’B singer?

I already have some songs in that genre but everything is a process and everything takes time. For instance, my next song is very different fromKritical265. It tilts towards R‘n’B.

Why do you sound like Davido?

Personally, if you ask me, a lot of songs produced in Nigeria are all similar and they sound alike. Everybody is trying to make the same up tempo beat with the same type of ‘street’ lyrics. If you listen to some of the songs being produced today, you will notice that some of the lyrics are being recycled. So, if they say I sound like Davido, I am not bothered. Inasmuch as we are all making the same type of music and everybody is using the same type of beat, I think in some months’ time, we would be able to differentiate my sound from other artistes’. I am working very hard to stay in this industry and as the son of Bukky Wright; I can confidently say that I am here to change the game.

What school did you attend?

I went to Rutgers University, New Jersey, America, and I studied Biological Sciences and I graduated in 2014.

You keep mentioning your mother’s name in your music, how about your father?

My father is very supportive of my career. Initially, he did not know what I was doing till he read it in the papers. He called me shortly to ask what I was doing and said that he heard that I was screaming my mother’s name in my songs. At first, he was not supportive because he was offended that I did not inform him before I decided to make music a career. But he is fully in support of my career now. Also, we had some personal issues we were sorting out at the time and because of that I didn’t want to involve him initially. But right now, he is trying to help the brand grow. I don’t think he is really bothered about the fact that I call my mother’s name in my songs. The reality is that she is my mother and he should be happy for me.

But normally children of the rich and famous hardly leverage on their parents’ name in this industry…

I am deliberately leveraging on my mother’s name. Initially I did not want to but things are getting really tough in the music industry especially since the new guys like Wizkid and Davido came into the picture. It is really tough for you to ‘blow’ nowadays. When I started out, I avoided using my mother’s name and I did not want to have anything to do with her when it came to my music. But when I came into the country last year, I had several meetings with public relations executives and we realised that the best thing to do is to use what you have to get what you want. When everybody finally pays attention to me, I can show my fans the reason I am into music. I am not really bothered that I leverage on my mother’s name because I tried things the other way and it did not get me anywhere.

You are signed on to your mother’s record label and you are also fond of mentioning her name in your songs. Don’t you think people would see you as a ‘mummy’s boy’?

To be honest, I don’t care. I really don’t care if people see me as ‘mummy’s boy’ because I want to make music and I think people should pay more attention to my music rather than my relationship with my mother.

But if you are perceived as a ‘mummy’s boy’ and you sing songs for the ‘streets’, don’t you think there would be a conflict of character when your fans think about your brand?

Don’t get me wrong, I am not a street boy but I am making a record for the street. These are two different things. If you want to perceive me as a street guy, that would be a wrong notion; but if you perceive me as a ‘mummy’s boy’ making music for the street, then that is a much better description. I am not a street guy so people should not get things confused.

If you were not a musician, what would you have become in life?

If I was not singing I would have been in medical school right now. I was supposed to be there in September, 2014 but music brought me back home and we made a collective decision that it is time to focus on the music. I have two degrees now and I am not rushing to get another one because I am still very young. I am just 22 years old. However, you never know what the future holds.

Have you cancelled your dreams of becoming a doctor?

No, I have not. That is why I said that you never know what the future holds but for now, my focus is on the music.

Are you in a relationship?

No I am single. I have female friends but none of them is my girlfriend.

If you are given a chance to date a Nigerian celebrity, who would it be?

Nobody, I am not attracted to anyone of them.

When it comes to women, what is your ‘spec’?

I like ‘thick women’ with big butt. I would say that Yemi Alade is alright.

Have you ever had sex?

Yes, I have.