For Zommadu, music has always been part of his life and he’s one of those artists who can be considered a born artist. He tells me a story his grandmother told him about how he loved music even as a toddler.
“My Grandmother told me of a song I composed when I was a child and she still sang this song for me when I was young. Recently, when I visited her, she still sang the song,” Zommadu tells me.
While the memories of his early childhood were foggy and couldn’t be recollected, he tells me that his first attraction to music was after watching Lil Bow Wow on TV in the early 2000 and he was stunned.
“I saw Lil Bow Wow on TV and I first thought he was a dwarf because the way he sang and his command was like that of an adult. After watching him on TV, I knew I wanted to become an artist.”
This was when Zommadu was a kid in primary school and his Lil Bow moment would go on to inspire him to make good on his dream even as a kid.
“I popular for school. I dey bring people together,” Zommadu said in Pidgin with a peal of hearty laughter before proceeding to tell me how he started freestyling and writing rap in primary school which made him into a popular kid. He would keep this up in Secondary school where he created a social club that brought creatives together.
For many artists, writing rap and freestyling was their first attempt at cosplaying an artist and for Zommadu, it wasn’t until the university that he started singing and made the conscious decision to pursue music professionally.
“I recorded a couple of songs in the University which I’m sure nobody will ever get to hear because I don’t have the resources to push it and I was also primarily focusing on my studies.”
The reality of needing to achieve a level of economic stability and fulfill the demanding task of being the first son meant that Zommadu, an Enugu-born native had to make music a disposable luxury.
“I know I had to leave home to take care of home and with this mindset, I was more focused on hustling than music. This is what led me to learn graphics and it’s what a time when I was seriously considering forfeiting my dream of being an artist.”
Providence would come in to revive Zommadu’s resolve to make music and this came in form of a sign “11:11”. Like an artist who was born to make music, the universe wasn’t going to sit back and watch him give up.
“It was during the time I started considering giving up that I started seeing this sign 11:11 everywhere. I talked to my friends about it and they didn’t really care for it. I decided to look up what it meant and I found it meant it’s the universe telling you it’s time to wake up and face your goal,” he tells me.
Zommadu would wake up and take the bold step of setting up a home studio with which he brought together artists and producers in his neighborhood.
“In 2022, I told myself that if I should quit on music what would be my reason?” he says “At the end of the day, if it doesn’t work then I have no regrets because I was able to do what I love.”
It was with this resolve that Zommadu recorded ‘Coal City Boy (CCB)’ which received positive remarks from listeners.
“After I released ‘CCB’, I got positive feedback and people even called me from different places to tell me how much they love the song.”
With confidence that came with the success of ‘CCB,’ Zommadu would go on to release his latest single ‘Kupulum’ which he tells me is slang that means “Get out of my sight.”
The single fuses Highlife elements of Igbo music with Pop elements through his use of Igbo and Pidgin to deliver a feel-good song.
The single has received positive remarks and Zommadu wishes to get it across to more listeners.
“I want to give the song more publicity to more people can listen to it and enjoy my sound.”
For Zommadu, that he will make music and become an artist is written in the stars and he hopes to enjoy every bit of the journey.
“I just want to enjoy everypart of the journey from making the music and getting it across to listeners. I’m not really bothered that I would get to make sacrifices because I get to do something I genuinely enjoy.”
Zommadu’s journey has started and for those who are just getting to know him, it’s still early days to hop on the ride. He believes it’s going to be a captivating journey to which he’s fully committed “I want to do this and I appreciate my producers and friends who have always been down for me. People can’t expect more music from me.”
I asked him how he hopes to manage to keep a day job and take care of his home while also committing resources to his music. Zommadu tells me the same simple phrase he has repeated during the course of our conversation. “I’m doing what I love,” he says,
