Gospel Music Spotlight: from KUSH to TY Bello

The brilliant, quirky, beautiful TY Bello was another member of the defunct KUSH. Her debut solo album was also released in 2007. She has since won several awards for her single "Greenland". In addition to being a brilliant singer, TY Bello is also a photographer, and from what I hear, a pretty good one.











First her music:




And in addition to making good music, she is deep too. The song Ekundayo and its accompanying video is focused on our own Mother Theresa in Nigeria - madam Ekundayo.






And her photography:



I think she is a creative genius!! Absolutely fantastic stuff.

So you can find out more about her on her website here and her cd is available for purchase here

I will update on the other two ex-members of KUSH later this week. They are doing great things too.

See ya!

Gospel Music Spotlight: From KUSH to Lara George

So I had to make the previous post to beam the spotlight on one of Nigeria's most successful, though now defunct gospel groups. Each of the members went solo, and have gone on to have amazing careers.



First up - Lara George. Lara an architect by training, released her debut album, Forever in my heart, in 2007. Her single off the album "Ijoba Orun" was a smash hit, and even non Nigerians who had no idea what the song meant still fell in love with it. Lara sings with passion, zeal, creativity and dexterity . Alright, that was a cheesy description, but homegirl can sing!!!!



In case you were wondering, this is what it means:

Ijoba orun lere onigbagbo o (2ce)
(The kingdom of God/Heaven is the reward of believers)

Ma je n kuna, Baba, mu mi dele o
Ma je n kuna , Baba se, mu mi dele o
(Don’t let me fall by the wayside, father, take me there (Heaven))

Owo ti mo ni ko le mu mi dele o
Moto ti mo ra ko le wa mi dele o
Ore ti mo ni ko le sin mi dele o
Gbogbo Iwe ti mo ri ka ko le gbe mi dele o
(My money, my friends, my cars, my degree/education, lands/houses cannot take me to heaven etc.....)


Ma je n kuna, Baba, mu mi dele o
(Don’t let me fall, father, lead me home)
Kin ma ku s’ajo bi eefin, mu mi dele o
(Let me not evaporate like smoke on this journey, please take me home i plead)
Aye loja orun nile, mu mi dele o
Aye loja , orun nile se, mu mi dele o
(This earth is only a market place, God's kingdom/Heaven is our real home, please take me home)



Mumi dele o (8ce)

Mama a je’n kuna

Ile ayo, ile ogo, ile alafia....
(Home of joy, Home of glory, Home of peace.......Heaven...)

Fig Tree - Lara George


Just a few of my fav. Mrs George songs. In fact, I love the entire cd. When I first got it, I played it over and over until I could sing all the songs by heart.


However, Lara is at it again o. She has a new album due in August, and she has magnanimously allowed us to get a sneak peak. The single is called "Kole baje" and it is slamming!!

Hear it for yourself here.

Oh yes, if you are interested in buying her first cd, its available here


Ciao!