Why I can’t celebrate birthday every year

Popular singer, Korede Bello, tells KEHINDE AJOSE about his career and other issues

Your sound and lyrics have matured over time. Can you take us through how you have evolved over the years?

Life itself necessitates change and demands growth in everyone and everything. Think about it this way— an artiste is a philosopher of experience. So, the more life one experiences, the more it reflects in one’s art.

‘Godwin’ is one of the biggest songs of your career. Do you think you can replicate the success of such a massive hit?

What makes a masterpiece truly special is the fact that it cannot be replicated. Many years ago, a wise man once told me that it was not the song that made itself viral, but the anointing. And, I believe him. Music is spiritual. Many people can sing the same lyrics, with the tempo and chorus, yet it still wouldn’t have the same effect. It takes true humility as an artiste to know that it is not just by one’s talent, skills or power; but by the grace of God.

After Godwin, God has blessed me with many other hits that have been commercially successful globally. However, I will always be grateful to God for the song, Godwin, because it introduced my name and presence to the world in a big way. I am also grateful to Don Jazzy for co-creating that masterpiece.

I am thankful for every song that I have been privileged to bring into this world. What matters the most to me is to always find favour in the sight of God and the sight of men, and to always be a vessel of honour and value, whether through music, books or just my presence. No matter how big a song is, there will always be a bigger song, so the goal for me is not to chase after a big song, but to submit myself to a big God that can bless me with a big life; music or no music. I believe God can take one farther than the biggest song ever will. And, that’s what Godwin means to me. It is not about the song, but the God that the song points to. Ultimately, God wins.

Why did it take you this long to release your latest album?

I guess I was waiting for my birthday. Because I was on February 29 (a leap year), I always have to wait for four years to celebrate my birthday. The album was created around ‘Kore Day’, my birthday. It is a story of Kore’s Day—a birthday gift to myself. It is an intimate project created to feel like a therapy session, which is a subtle nod to the mental health advocacy I do.