Internationally Acclaimed Singer Lara George on Music, Fame and Love

Can we meet you?

I am a recording artist, a wife, and a mother. I used to belong to a group called KUSH. It was the only Nigerian gospel group at that time. I released my first album which was titled “Forever in my Heart” after the group split up.  I have released four albums with the exceptional album titled “Love wan tin tin” which I used to mark my wedding anniversary.

When precisely can you say you started your music career and how did it start?

I would say that I started professionally let us say in the year 2000, the group I belonged to called KUSH got signed on to a record label which was based in the US at the time.

What was the most challenging situation you had to deal with as an up-and-coming artist?

When I started off in music, the operation was completely different then, unlike it is now. Music was not then as it is today. It was not commercially viable as it now and so, one of my biggest challenges was making my parents see that this is something worth venturing into. It was quite a bit of a challenge convincing them because I was still a student at the time and it seemed like music was going to distract me from my academic pursuit. The major issue was convincing my parents that I could merge my academic with music.

You talked about your academics, can you tell us about your school days?

I studied architecture at the University of Lagos and at the time when I was in school, architecture was a combined Bachelors and Master’s degree. It was very challenging trying to combine it with music.

What are the challenges in the Nigerian Gospel music industry?

There are many challenges, but I think that the greatest challenge is that up until now, gospel artists are not still well related to. We tend to view Nigerian Gospel Music as being worthy of less pay compared to our foreign counterparts, which is really a bad thing. I don’t believe that the God we call upon in Nigeria is a different God from the Americans or the British or the Canadians call upon. So, I think that is one area that our mentality needs to change. I know that when that mentality changes, it will go a long way in helping to improve on what we do because it cost a lot of money to make good music. It is one thing to have the raw talent, it is another thing to develop it and grow it properly. We need real money.

How would you rate Nigerian Gospel artist when compared to other international gospel artists?

You know there will always be those who are not really talented who venture into the field and with the exception of those people, I believe that Nigerian gospel artistes are one of the best in the entire world. I think under the most difficult circumstances we still manage to thrive and to keep on producing excellent music. In terms of the execution, the delivery of the songs that we have, I think that we are top notch.

We see that you are an international gospel artiste, how has that affected your career?

Well for me every accolade that I have received has helped in pushing my grounds in the upper direction and obviously as an individual or as an artist it has helped my work to grow even more. I am just really thankful because what it has done is to provide for me a larger platforms which has helped me deliver the works that I do and I am just always grateful for that because the whole essence of what I am doing is so that people can hear my music and enjoy the works that I do. So, the larger the platform, the wider the reach, the happier I am; and I thank God because he has given me the opportunity to express myself musically.

Were you ever tempted to veer away from gospel music?

Why not! All the time, the temptation is always there. The disparity between how gospel artistes are treated as opposed to secular artists is so wide, the temptation is always there. You tend to ask yourself what on earth you are doing. Is it worth it? Is it worth my time? Is it worth my energy? If I am doing secular music, you know I will be earning more, I would not have to go through the insult and dishonor that sometimes come along with being a gospel artiste, but every time these thoughts come to mind, I am always encouraged when I hear testimonies, how someone listened to my music and their life changed. I have heard testimonies of people who are going through hard times and they were waiting on the Lord and when they listened to my songs, it got them through that period. Whenever I hear testimonies like that, I am very encouraged, it reminds me of the reasons why I started singing. I have to think of this so I do not veer off.

What do you think about gospel artists that have veered away from gospel music? What could be the cause?

 I will not judge anybody because everyone has their reason for doing what it is they are doing. Rather what we should ask is why do these people veer off? There is a scripture in the bible that talks about how we must not offend the young ones and how a  person that offends a young one is better a milestone is hung about his neck and is cast into the sea. The thing for me is that we tend to find it so easy to judge gospel artist in this country. This is a challenge that is common among gospel artists than people realize and as such, I cannot judge those gospel artists that have turned away.  I would only ask that those of us who have accepted the gospel artists, who are the consumers of gospel music, how do we treat gospel artists? Do we treat them in a  way that is encouraging enough to make them stay? That is the question I am going to throw out to everybody reading this article. I am asking that question so that this would make people change their mindset that we have had about gospel artistes and it would help us to have a rethink and re-evaluation in the way we eschewed those who do music that inspires.

What is that one message you seek to pass across through your music?

I point people towards the direction of God. That is one thing I to do with my music. I sing songs that inspire. That is why I have always called myself an inspirational artist. I want when I am singing, no matter what I am singing about, it will give people God’s point of view and inspiration in whatever they find themselves in. Whether I am singing about love, worship or singing praise or social justice, I sing always from God’s perspective so that if you listen to Lara George’s music, you will see through the eye of God.

You are a singer, a wife, and a mother, as well as a producer and a director, how has it been like combining these roles and what role has your husband played?

Thank God for the ability to multitask. It is a beautiful thing to be able to play different roles in one’s life. I have experienced all the joy of life. My husband has been absolutely amazing, absolutely supportive. He is working and I thank God for that. He is my manager and so he is my legal adviser, constantly a support and my companion, through the ups and down in the music industry, I am very grateful to God for having someone like him in my life.

How have you been able to sustain your marriage over the years?

I always say that I cannot say for sure that it is because of anything that I have done. It is just by God’s grace really. There are lots of marriages that do not even last two weeks but somehow God has kept us and it has not been because we have had our own fair share of troubles. We have had major issues but God has chosen to see us through them. I think it is very important to have godly counsel. God has given us a very excellent church, with them as a family, so every time we are faced with issues, we have always had good counsel around us and that has helped us to make godly decisions as opposed to rash ones that will go on to destroy the home front. As for me, that has to be a key factor. I also bless God for the fact that my companion is God-fearing and not just someone who does not care about God’s word. I think that is really important because when certain unusual situations arise, you ought to know this person hears God’s voice. Even when we veer off and the street is narrow, God calls us back and we are willing to listen to him and fix things that also is part of God’s will.

How much does it cost to have Lara George make an appearance at an event?

(Laughs) not enough. My fee is very considerate. No range, those who know, know that I don’t even get paid as much as I ought to.

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Interview by Mercy Ebuetse

Extract from Shalom Truths Magazine (Family Edition)