Why I’m better than Shina Peters –Yomi Peters

Popular juju musician, Yomi Peters, is the younger brother of another popular juju musician, Sir Shina Peters. And probably for the first time, he tells OSEYIZA OOGBODO BLOG about his relationship with Shina, a relationship which is trailed by several tales. He also discloses why he returned to Nigeria from his America base and the mission that brought him back to Nigeria.

What’s the latest about you?                                                                                                                   I’m going about playing my music at parties, shows but this election period has been a major stumbling block to play as much as I should. People now concentrate more on the forthcoming general elections. Especially the politicians that are the ones that spend for we musicians. Also, my latter album, Mogbare, is still doing very well in the market.                                                                                                                                                                   

Some people got into music accidentally. Was it the same for you?

I am from a music family, so my being in music isn’t accidental. My brothers, Sir Shina Peters and Gbenga Peters, are also doing juju music like me, and they are still going strong, just like me, so my music career is definitely not accidental but ordained from above.

Apart from singing and playing guitar, what else do you do?                                                             I'm a multi-instrumentalist. I play all music instruments and that really gives me an edge among my brothers. I even taught several white people in a music academy in America before returning home.                                                                                                                                                                                                                

There was a report that you are stranded in Nigeria and can’t return to America and that that is why you’ve been in Nigeria for some years now.

I’m aware of it, and I’m sorry to disappoint those behind it, but I still travel often to America to see my family. Would that be possible if I was stranded in Nigeria? No. I only returned home by my own decision to revolutionize juju music which was on the decline before I returned and is now picking up fast again.                                                                                                               

They say there’s bad blood between you and your brother, Shina Peters, that you don’t see eye-to-eye.

That’s not true, actually. We actually have a very cordial relationship. Though there have been issues in the past, but they are in the past, and we are on a very good note now.                                                                                                                                                                                                

Most artists nowadays just know how to sing, they don’t play instruments like you. What do you feel about that?

Music is a whole, so you can't take one part out. It's like football, you can't be a goalkeeper and not learn how to kick the ball. As a singer, you need to know what key suits your voice, the dynamics of music, which you can only know by playing at least one instrument or several like me. That’s why it’s good to play instruments so any singer who can’t play at least one instrument is only shortchanging himself.                                                                                                                                                                      

What does it take to learn the guitar? Are there any special skills required?                                          

No special skills are required. All you need is to have the passion to learn and own a guitar as well.       

What inspires you?                                                                                                          

This might sound like a cliché but, yes, God inspires me. I also get a lot of inspiration from my environment, but God is my primary inspiration.                                                                                                   

Where do you see yourself in the nearest future?                                                                                 I see myself rising more and more to become a major influence in the music industry content-wise because I know I'm very gifted.                                                                                                                                      

How would you describe your brand of music?                                                                                               

It’s contemporary juju music with fused with hip-hop and African flavour. African flavour is very important now in order to connect with the African market and even the Nigerian market.

What are your likes and dislikes?                                                                                                          I like straightforward people. The world is always a better place with that kind of people. I also like people who have taken time to discover who they really are and are not just following the crowd. It takes courage to do that. And so naturally, I dislike people who just follow the crowd. I call them follow-follow, zombie.