Lola: What’s Amiss?

By Anifowoshe George

Naturally after a degree in Journalism from Minnesota University, a high paying job with E! and a promising career that seems to be on the right track, things looked all worked out for young Miss Lola and one would have expected her to settle on her sofa, call for expensive champagne and start celebrating success. But no, she didn’t do that.

Rather she hopped on the next flight home and before you could say why, she had landed in Nigeria. That was late 2008.

Lola is now back in the homeland she left for 12 solid years.

Although born in Minnesota to Nigerian parents, she grew up in the campus ambience of the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife before returning to the United States where she bagged a B.Sc in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Minnesota.

Well, with a journalism degree under her kitty, she moved to Los Angeles to take up a job at E! but she still wasn’t satisfied. The more it looked that she had it all sorted out, the more it seemed to her that something was missing. She was sure, yet she wasn’t so sure.

It wasn’t long before she discovered what was amiss – Music! She was the one lurking in the corner, showing up this minute and hiding the next; waiting for Lola to discover her and put her to good use.

It wasn’t long before the musician in Lola came to the fore; redefining the essence of her being, and giving her the comfort she had long searched for. Soon, she was performing at open mic sessions, coffee shops and other public places. Soon, she was touring the US, Japan and Canada with Tony Foyeh& Orchestra Africa…

Lola continues to pursue her musical career alongside a nine-to-five (as a journalist) since her return from America.

Lola is not only a prolific guitarist; she is a musician to watch out for. What else can you expect when she was influenced by musical greats like Abba, Elton John, Billy Joel, Onyeka Owenu, Majek Fashek, Tina Turner, Seal, Lauryn Hill and Heather Headley?

Her new single ‘‘like this’’ is a soulful response to the challenges she has faced since she returned home.

One thing for sure about the rising singer: she’ll soon be joining Darey, Asa, MI, Jeremiah Gyang, Timi Dakolo, Etcetera, 2face Idibia, GT The Guitarman, 9ice, Nneka and other extraordinary musicians keen about satisfying fans’ yearnings for ‘‘good’’ music. We’ve heard enough of the crap-commercial songs anyway.