I didn’t sing Nonsense out of frustration –Zdon Paporrella

Zdon Paporrella is one of the music industry’s recognised faces. He is also a TV and radio presenter and he tells OSEYIZA OOGBODO BLOG about what music means to him. Your popular song, Nonsense, was a critique of the music industry as it supported the popular belief that musicians are singing nonsense nowadays. Did you sing it out of frustration probably because other musicians supposedly singing nonsense are making more waves than you? I sang Nonsense not out of frustration but because naturally I'm an expressive person. I'm not one to sit and wait until I or anyone I know becomes a victim. Rather than whine and cry in private, I used the medium I have, music, to expose what was going on in our industry so when by God's grace I'm retired from all this, I'll be happy that my music career stood for something objective. Did Nonsense achieve the purpose for which you sang it? Nonsense got my message across and that's what matters. Like I said, it has more to do with personal fulfillment than material gains, though it actually put some good money in my pocket I must confess. If a person sings supposed nonsense but it becomes very popular, doesn’t that mean it’s not nonsense? I guess that's a relative question that requires relative responses these days, but in my opinion, nonsense is nonsense, popular or not, but that's my own opinion! Why did you go into music? Music is my passion, and that's the only reason I'm still doing it. Tell us about your journey in music. My journey so far in music like every other journey in life has been filled with ups and downs but I thank God for everything because all have helped in making me the man I am today. Also, I'm very fulfilled. Does that mean you are not having a smooth ride in your music career? There's no smooth ride in any journey in life. What matters is the end result! How often do you perform? I perform as often as the shows come. Would you say you are where you should be as a musician? I'm not anywhere near where I want to be musically. I'm still learning and moving steadily at God's destined pace. I have no regrets. What has been the high point of your music career thus far? Every day is a high point for me. Being alive and able to do what I love and also make money from it is very fulfilling. Why is it that you musicians always take marijuana? Do you take it too? As for marijuana , you should ask those who smoke it why they do because I don't. You are also an on-air personality. Won’t your fans be confused as to whether you are a presenter or a musician? My real fans won't be confused because I've always juggled radio and TV presenting with my music in the past. I only took a break from presentation because I wanted to focus on my music. Is it possible to survive strictly as a musician? The answer is no! There are few musicians in the world today who have only music as their means of income. They mostly have other investments because music is not a pensionable business. Only a fool will choose to focus only on music as a means of income. Is success in music dependent on talent or management or connections? In some cases, just talent has been enough. In other cases, talent and good management. But in recent times, one needs the three collectively to be relevant. Talent is not enough anymore. Our industry stakeholders made certain of that! What are your plans? I like to keep my plans close to my chest and keep people guessing until they unfold.