‘No dey lie to me’ was his most popular hit track. Noree has gone underground for some time now and I guess the Music Industry is wondering if there would ever be a comeback. He speaks of his silence, which is not really one, and more on his present career, lifestyle and family. I cannot tell you for certain if there would be a comeback, you just read to ascertain for yourself.
What is your real name?
My name is Noree Timawus Mathis. I am from Adamawa state.
I had thought you were from South-South and the Niger-Delta region. So, what got you into music? How did you get into music in the first place?
I was born into music.
Does this mean the whole family is into music?
Yeah, my dad used to sing. I picked up the interest and love of music from my father. While my mates would go out and play football, my dad would sit me down and teach me how to write and sing love songs.
It has been a long time, I mean four years back when you released your hit track ‘No dey lie to me’’. I love that song. So, what really motivated you to write that song?
Heartbreak made me write that song.
So, it is a true life story?
Yeah, I believe songs that are true life are better expressed. You know you have to bring out the emotions. Though, it happened three years before I wrote the song.
And you had ‘Dem say’ with all the dance steps around?
Yeah. To be honest with you, I started the music thing like a joke. I wanted to do music for myself that I would hear alone, and it got out. And I was upset that it got out because I thought my kind of music would not be appreciated and I was surprised how people accepted the music and how they took it. I was very happy that I was accepted. It thrilled me and that is why I feel very sad I disappeared from the scene for a while. And that was because I was going through a phase in life where I actually had to decide what I wanted to do. If I wanted to do the music or do something else and, within that time I tried out a lot of things, made a lot of mistakes, adjusted myself. You can’t survive on music alone in this country, because you hardly get shows in Abuja, you hardly get attention. And I am somebody who has his business set up here. I work as a Media Consultant. I work in my father’s company. He is retired now, I have taken over. I can’t leave the company, so I had to sit down and draft out how I was going to separate the business from the music. And I love music. Well, I can still be a Media consultant and still do the music I want to do. That means, not pursuing music like other musicians pursue their own music. I pursue music from different point of view, from a much more layback point of view. You won’t catch me at every show. Maybe, see my video once or twice, because of the push to it, and I don’t have the time considering the fact that I have to do business. And I cannot put all my eggs in the basket of music in Nigeria because you do not have a system where you are secured, where you are saved. We do not have a system where is a proper channel of distribution. So, you can’t just say music is what I do, because in Nigeria you have to be very lucky to have a steady income as a musician. A lot of musicians are battling with income. You see a lot of musicians in the industry today, but you wonder how they survive when in a whole year you see their names maybe only twice or thrice in a major show and you wonder how they survive. It is tough. The story behind is really, really tough. Any musician that is not in the A-list in the Nigerian Music Industry, that is the likes of D’banj, Wande Coal, M.I., Tuface, any other musician is not having a smooth ride.
So, what you are saying is we would not be seeing much of you in the music scene?
It is not that you would not be seeing much of me in the music entertainment anymore. You will see me in the music industry. I am doing a comeback, and from next year I am returning with a single called ‘Freedom’. What I am saying is I am not going to have time to push and push and push. I will just push it to a certain level where I can. You know they say if you want to make it you have to relocate to Lagos. I cannot relocate to Lagos; I can only do what I can do from here even if I satisfy a crowd of ten people, I am happy. That is all I want to do music for; to touch one person’s life with my song I am happy. If I have an audience of one person I am happy.
Noree, what do you think is really the problem with the Nigerian Music Industry?
It is a format. There is no format, there is no system. You never can tell, you hear story of a cartel that if you don’t bow down to, you will never make it. You hear different kind of stories. I just believe we do not have a system. And I believe the Government is not involved. If the government was involved maybe something good would come out. There is just no system that is all I will say.
If you were in a better position, what would you have done about it?
If I were in a better position I would adapt a format that works for other places. I would look at how South Africa does theirs. I would look at how Angola does theirs. I would look at how America does theirs. I would look at their format, their system and I would try to adapt it here. Asa is a lot of inspiration to me. I switched my genre to rock, and you know there is no much rock fans in Nigeria. Just like Asa’s genre. When I switched I thought I would be singing to myself. But Asa made me understand that Nigerians love all kinds of music. As long as it is good music Nigerians would love it. That is why I said I would stick to the rock genre and come out with a rock album and I would release it. I am sure something good would come out of it.
We wish you well in your coming album. What artistes would you love to have a ‘collabo’ with?
Who would I love to ‘collabo’ with? Bon Jovi. I would like to do a ‘collabo’ with Bon Jovi. I would like to do a ‘collabo’ with U2, if possible with Linkin’ Park for that is my genre of music. If you are looking into Nigeria because I have never looked down on Nigeria. I have always looked up to Nigeria. If we are looking into Nigeria I would say M.I., Jazzy Jag, Ice Prince.
Where does the world see Noree five years from now?
Five years from now, you would see Noree where God places me. Where I want to be is, I want to be able to perform at the club that loves club music. After that I go home to my own kids.
Enough on music and your career, now let’s go into your personal life. Are you married, into any relationship, or have a family?
I am not married, but I have a daughter. She is the love of my life, everything I dream of, everything I live for. She is the better part of me. I will get married, some day. Soon, that day would come.
Thank you for the time, but one more thing. How would your fans get in touch with you?
I am on facebook, and you can type Noree Mathias. Or you can log on to www.questmedia.com
Thank you very much, we appreciate.
You are welcome.
