Wednesday 27 June 2012

Everlasting Praise from 2 Voices


BY OMIKO AWA

THE church hall of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Life Gate Assembly, Isheri Olofin, Lagos, was recently filled to its capacity with guests, which included church members and the media, converging for the launch/dedication of 2Voices gospel album, Everlasting Praise.
   The seven-tracker produced by Sammy Jayzee Studio, has songs such as Everlasting Praise, Dancing for My Lord, You Are My God, Glorious Is The Lord, O Lord! Send Me and two remixes.
    Thrilling guests, 2 Voices — a duet of Oluwafunmi and Oluwatosin Odujinrin — both sisters, showcased the stuff they are made off, drawing applauses from guests who danced and sang along with them. With their performances, the girls, impressed their observers that they are cut out for the top.
      Formerly now, Oluwafunmi (12) and Oluwatosin (9) both students of The Kings Kids School, Abaranje, loved hip-hop and other contemporary music, but through their mother, Victoria, changed to gospel music.
    “We were introduced to gospel music by our mother, Victoria. We used to love hip-hop and other contemporary music and would want to play them, but our mother told us to use our talents to sing and dance for God,” Oluwatosin said.
    “She loves Christian music and encourages us to play it as a way of spreading the gospel and uplifting souls.”
    On where they draw their inspirations from, Oluwafunmi said: “Apart from the Holy Spirit and the things around us, Destiny Kids, as a group inspires us. In fact, they motivate us to do most of our songs. We watched them and wished to be greater than they are.”
    With the songs jointly written by the girls and their mother, the sisters said, “each time the idea of a song comes up, we write it down and give it to our mother, who directs us on how to go about it. At times, after writing the songs in our own way, she directs us on the lyrics and the dance steps.”
   The group, which started as a child’s play, turning everything in their sitting room to musical instrument, has grown to be recognised as a band, performing in church events and other social gatherings.
    According to their elated father, Pastor Kayode Odujinrin, “I never took them serious. When they were turning almost everything in the house into musical instrument, hitting the table, singing and dancing, I took it as one of those things children do around the house. In fact, I was much particular about their academic pursuit, so, I left them with their mother, who likes music. But with what I have seen them do with the ‘noise’, I now believe, they are serious and deserve my support.”
   Would you not by tomorrow do secular music, as you are influenced by your mother to do gospel? “No, we are from a Christian home and there is no better way to appreciate God than to sing of His glory and gospel music remains a medium of doing that. In fact, it is one of the best ways to spread the good messages and as well express ones love for God,” Oluwafunmi stated.
   Oluwatosin retorted: “As Christians, we are not going to limit ourselves, we are going to use different genres of music — local songs, hip hop, R‘n’B and others — to reach out to the world.”
   With both parents as their managers, the girls informed that one of their challenges is satisfying everyone around them.
     “People now see us as stars and expect so much from us. They expect us to excel in all areas — academics, at home, in the church and even at play. It is, indeed, challenging, but God is seeing us through,” Oluwafunmi said.
     Mixing performance with school work, she added, “it’s challenging. Whenever there is any event, I have to face the hurdles of rehearsals, vigils and school work. There was a time we went for a show, it was within our school examinations period, I had to put in extra efforts to pass it. It was so tiring and since then, I pray never to have such experience.
    “It is as a result of such experiences that make us to fix most of our events during the holidays, especially the long vac,” she noted.
    On how he wishes to control them so that the glamour of stardom will not get the better part of them, Pastor Odujinrin, said, “outside prayers, I monitor them, see that they do their school works and guide them on the things of the God. Though they are stars, they are still children and need to be guided.”
    Advising parents, he noted, “parents should encourage their children to use their talents for the service of God and the betterment of the society. Allowing children to fully showcase and use their talents would not only make the children live a fulfilled life, but could also serve as an avenue of job creation for themselves and others.”  

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