Emma Nyra is a fast rising music artiste signed on Inyanya’s Made Men
Music Group (MMMG). In this interview with our REPORTER she speaks on her career and relationship.
Give us an insight into how your music career started
Music has always been there for me. I used to be called E-Money, but I realised that the name was too masculine, so I changed it to Emma Nyra.
You have had a stint with acting, tell us about it
That is one aspect of me that a lot of people don’t know about. I have done several Nollywood movies. I have acted in movies with Van Vicker, Ini Edo, among other top Nigerian actors and actresses. Desmond Elliot was my first acting coach; but I am a singer and that is what I specialise in.
Between acting and music, which one would you prefer?
Music is more important to me because I have been singing right from my tender age. I actually started singing in 2001, and my first show was in Huston, Texas. It had P Square, J. Martins and several other artistes. That was my first major show. I graduated in 2010 and I came to Nigeria in 2012, when I met my manager Ubi Franklin. He was also Inyanya’s manager then, but I hadn’t met Inyanya, I only heard of him. Seven months after I joined “MMMG”, Inyanya dropped “Kukere” and we started a tour to promote the song. We did a campus tour and a U.S tour. Since then, things have been moving fine for him.
…And for you?
For me, things have also been moving fine, because now I have three singles and three videos. My album will also be coming out next year.
How did you eventually meet Inyanya?
I came to Nigeria in 2011, for the “Not Just Okay Concert”, it was a very big show and Franklin was one of the organisers. So, he told them to put me on the show because he knew me as a singer in America, but I wanted to relocate to Nigeria. I met Inyanya that day and Franklin later said we should do a song together. In May 2012, I officially moved to Nigeria and it was all of us in one house going for shows and interviews. That was all before “Kukere” blew and when it did, we decided to start doing my job so that we could push each other.
MMMG, seem to be more than just a record label, can you tell us about it?
MMMG is the acronym for Made Men Music Group, but it also goes beyond that. It is a group that involves management. We are going to have dancers, actors and it is going to be about a group of talented entertainers.
You like flaunting your sexuality, what is the idea?
On the stage, a lot of women are scared to be free and sexy due to our culture. I am not married and I am still young and I feel I can show my body as long as it is in a classy way. You can be sexy and still be classy too and that is what I want. When I am on stage I like to be free, so that I can perform.
What similarities do you share with your mum?
If I can look like my mum by just 10 per cent, then I will say thanks to anybody who thinks I am sexy. My mum is who I look up to. She is a fashionista. She makes clothes, she sells clothes, she does hairs and when I was growing I looked up to her. So, who I am today is basically what my mother brought me up to be. I still show my mother the clothes I wear to events and if she says they are okay, I go ahead; but if she says no, I don’t even think twice about dumping them.
You are becoming an item with Inyanya, is there a romance somewhere?
No. There is no romance anywhere. He is my mentor; he is the one who tells me if something is wrong or something right. He is a very honest person. I feel like if we date and we break up, it will ruin the group thing that we have together. May be, in future, but right now, we are business partners, we work together.
Is there an attraction between both of you?
I wouldn’t say there is an attraction, but I admire him, I look up to him. He is the one that told me that if I want to do music in Nigeria, I have to add R&B to my songs every now and then, for there are fans who want to listen to that genre of music. He also told me that in Nigeria, people want to dance and be happy. So, I learnt that from him.
But there is a possibility in future?
In life, everything is possible. Never say never to anything. I am the one who choose his girls for him; we share a very strong bond. I know the kind of girls he likes.
Are you not worried that if another girl has him that will ruin your own chances?
I want him to find love; everybody should find love. Right now, I am not looking for that and I don’t want to block anybody’s chance. I will rather let him be happy with someone else because if I am controlling his happiness and he is sad, he won’t go for shows and if he doesn’t I won’t too. Since we are all in this industry together, I feel that we should conduct ourselves personally so that we have that platform.
Earlier you said you choose Inyanya’s girl friends. Did you choose Yvonne Nelson?
No. God bless that girl. She is doing her thing. Her romance with Inyanya happened in the past. But I am the one who actually put her name in the song. I chose all the names of the girls in the song.
What were the qualities that you look out for while choosing the girls?
I choose Tiwa Savage, Tonto Dikeh and Yvonne Nelson because I thought they were the hottest girls in the country.
Why didn’t you add your name?
It won’t be professional to put my name in it.
What is the sexiest part of your body?
That would be my legs. They are very fine. I used to play volley ball during my University days; I was the captain of my team and I think that has kept me fit and trim. I am also used to eating athlete’s food and I maintain the workout mentality.
One would have expected that with your kind of sport, you would have scars all over you, how come your legs are spotless?
I had scars but that was when I was young. I was rough when I was young because I was always somersaulting and doing back flips on stage.
Who is the man in your life?
There is no one in my life presently, but I must say that my manager Ubi Franklin has pushed my career when no one was there for me. I look up to him and Inyanya because it is not easy for a woman in this industry.
Why are you shutting your heart to love?
I am not shutting my heart to love, but the truth of the matter is that I am still getting used to the publicity that I am getting. When I have got used to it, I will be comfortable to bring someone with me into the limelight. I don’t want someone to love me for the wrong reasons.
How will you describe your ideal man?
I like a man that is funny, that smells good and take care of his hygiene. If you can make me laugh, it means that I can be around you for a long period of time. You don’t have to be a millionaire or be the finest guy in town.
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