“Leroi, let’s go on a voyage in the world of music and let’s focus on the Akwa Ibom Entertainment Industry” Aniekan my friend said to me as we sat in a bar in Lagos, chilling on a Friday evening.
“Alright, I am listening” I replied.
“You know, once upon a time, the Akwa Ibom Entertainment industry was the rave of the moment, competing favourably with others in the Nigerian entertainment industry. We had stars with hit tracks ruling the airwaves, we had top recording artists, music producers and event consultants from Akwa Ibom state. It was the golden era in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s where our artistes dominated.” He stated.
I nodded my head. I remembered growing up listening to evergreen tracks by our artists.
“But lately there appears to be a lull or am I wrong? We don’t seem to have artists with that hunger and talent anymore!” He stated.
“Well, that’s partly true and partly wrong because I think we still have some gems in Akwa Ibom who can take on the world!”
“Who are they, what are their names?” Aniekan questioned.
We sat in silence brooding over this question and sipping from our glass of chilled wine.
A gentleman who sat at the table adjacent to ours drew his seat to ours.
“Hello guys, my name is Ukeme, I have been listening in and enjoying your discussion. I am a music-loving Akwa Ibomite myself and I am quite in touch with the happenings at home”
We shook hands briefly.
“We still have Akwa Ibomites who are immensely talented and have what it takes to compete on the global scene!” He stated.
“Okay, give us their names” Aniekan replied.
“Have you heard of Supersonic Blaze?” Ukeme questioned.
We leaned back on our chairs and processed his question.
I couldn’t quite place where but I had a feeling that I had heard of that name before, somewhere online.
“Google Supersonic Blaze and you will see why I said that all hope is not lost. He is a talented recording artiste, music producer and events consultant who is making big imprints with his music”
Aniekan and I picked up our phone and did a quick Google search on “Supersonic blaze”.
The results poured in immediately and we leaned back to read the bio of the artiste on one of the links.
‘SUPERSONIC BLAZE is a Nigerian recording artist, songwriter and music producer with deep roots in Afrobeats. Listening to Supersonic Blaze is like hearing the different components of music in one artist. Existing in the space between afrobeat and alternative music he somehow ties tradition together, while placing his own distinct personality on it. In the tradition of the greatest artists, he makes music straight from the heart without hesitation and with a commitment to excellence above all, making him a unique artist on the rise.
“Uwi” as he is fondly called by his fans is a 360 artist to look out for in the mainstream and regional music industry.
Born Precious Ewa, to strict parents that wouldn’t allow his ambition to become a musician, to drown his academics he studied audio production/engineering at SAE Institute, Middlesex University, London’.
“This is nice, how come I have never listened to his music?” Aniekan questioned.
“You will listen to them today, check out the download links” Ukeme suggested.
“Wait, guys here’s another article I have seen on Supersonic blaze,” I said excitedly, opening a link.
We slowly read the piece.
‘Traversing the lands across the Niger, the Land of Promise beckons, eager to unveil its fast-rising star, Precious Ewa, who goes by the stage name, Supersonic Blaze. Not only is he a talented recording artist, songwriter and music producer deeply rooted in Afro beats, his charming personality, vision for the association he leads, diligence, and resilience in the face of challenges, have endeared him to many artists with great dreams in Akwa-Ibom state.
Precious has grown over the years to become the go-to, trusted link, to aid the birthing of artistes’ dreams and now catalysing the move of regional stars into the mainstream arena. His dexterity as a music producer stems from the knowledge garnered in audio production and engineering from the SAE Institute, Middlesex University, London, which he uses to ensure that songs produced are in synch with current trends and meet the International standard. Artistes in the State have benefitted from his sound professionalism.
According to him “As the founding President of Akwa-Ibom Recording Artistes Association (AIRAA), I have with my music background from school, stepped up the music game, educating artistes about the business of music, ethics, the importance of branding and the need to rightly position themselves to make a positive impact beyond the region. It has been a bumpy ride, with many setbacks which I am proud that I overcame. I believe artistes from Akwa- Ibom have what it takes to excel in the Music terrain.”
Committed to excellence, Uwi as he is fondly called by his fans, is a winner of Marvel Sound Check Tournament, Dubai, has performed twice at Felabration, Lagos, the No bad Songz Concert, Abuja, and has co-written songs and produced for other artistes, including Princess Pat Akpabio, the gospel artiste inducted and named as a voting member of the Grammy’s Recording Academy. Precious Ewa has spearheaded the deployment of the digital revolution in music within the state, choosing to lead by example with his songs, Abasi Do and Confam, which are present on popular online streaming platforms.
He stated further, “My songs Abasi Do and Confam have been pretty impressive considering the region I’m based in. Abasi Do is the most downloaded and streamed song on Boom Play by an Akwa Ibom-based artiste. Interestingly, another song of mine Akwa Ibom Super Star appeared on the Twitter trends log on the day of its release. Confam also holds the same record. Many show promoters, business conglomerates, stakeholders, talent hunters and promoters emphasize artistes in Lagos, forgetting that there are hidden talents outside of Lagos who with the right exposure as their contemporaries, have the potential of taking the country and indeed the world by storm. Being a member of the Akwa-Ibom State Entertainment Committee set up by the State government, the creative consultant for Fusion 2019 powered by Boom play, creative consultant for the biggest music concert to hit the state, the Catch up concert, has created avenues for me to help artistes, using my experience, versatility and passion for the industry to change the narrative and bring about a new dawn filled with opportunities and possibilities for them”
Supersonic Blaze is with certitude, blazing the trail in the State and working assiduously to improve the lot of artistes therein’.
“Wow! This guy’s profile is lit! He studied audio production and engineering from SAE Institute, Middlesex University, London!” Aniekan gushed.
“And he is the founding President of Akwa-Ibom Recording Artistes Association. He is more like a pathfinder blazing the trail for others to follow!” I stated.
“That’s why he is Supersonic blaze, blazing the trail in Akwa Ibom entertainment industry with supersonic speed” Ukeme stated.
“Guys, let’s listen to his tracks”.
We opened his official youtube link and watched the videos. They were cool and I liked the vibe and energy he brought to his music.
“This guy understands music and it is evident in his approach and composure, thanks for bringing him into my consciousness, I’ll be looking out for him from now on,” I said to Ukeme.
“Thank you too for listening! We have to keep pushing and supporting our stars” He replied with a smile and turned away.
Aniekan and I downloaded Supersonic Blaze’s tracks into our phones for rotation on our music playlist.
We check and followed him on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat.
As we continued our discussion, we agreed that the Akwa Ibom Entertainment industry still has what it takes to rule the Nigerian entertainment industry and that Supersonic Blaze as a recording artiste, music producer and events consultant is one to look out for.
Iniobong Leroi Umoh is a storyteller, a satirist and creative writer. He blurs the line between reality and fiction and seeks to create a connection with the reader through engaging content. His works have been featured across various online and offline platforms. He hopes to one day travel around the world on a luxury yacht, sipping expensive wine and documenting all his experiences in a journal.
You can send him a mail at infoleric@gmail.com.
