UK Open Mic

Precious Ighalo

Meet Lagos, Nigeria-born UK Open Mic performer, Precious Ighalo:

Precious Ighalo

Hi Precious Ighalo, thanks for joining us! Let’s get into it:

Do you play solo only, or also in a group?

Solo

How old are you?

29

Where were you born?

Lagos, Nigeria

Where did you grow up?

London

How did that place influence your music? (if at all!)

Being in London influenced my love of pop, rnb, hip hop and of course garage and house. The multiculturalism helped me embrace modern afro beats rather than just traditional ones. Being a Londoner has impacted me greatly.

Where are you based now, and why?

London – nowhere better.

What got you into making music in the first place?

Listening to the greats such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston etc, and feeling the love of music flow through them and into me.

What instrument/s do you play?

Singing

Who would be in your top 10 musical influences, and why?

MJ, JT, Timbaland, Nelly Furtado, Beyoncé, Adele, Tupac, Rihanna, Madonna, Backstreet Boys

Do you write your own songs?

Yes

How many years have you been writing songs for?

17 years

What process, or processes, do you often find yourself using when you write songs?

Find great music and see what comes out

Why did you get into playing them in the first place?

After a hard breakup, I decided to start facing some fears and do things I’ve always wanted to do but felt too scared to try.

What advice would you give new performers who are just starting out playing their first open mics?

Just do it. Feel it and think about it later

What’s the hardest thing, for you, about playing open mics?

The nerves

If it’s not already, are you hoping to make music your full-time career?

Yes

What do you currently find the hardest and biggest obstacles to moving your music career forward?

Probably age and connections, plus a full time job

What’s the one truth about you that people often find surprising?

I’m really sensitive

What’s the most exciting project you’re working on at the moment?

Me

Where is the main place should people go to find out more about you?

www.Instagram.com/velvetlizzy

We’re done! Anything else you want to share before we go?

No thanks!

Meet Lagos, Nigeria-born UK Open Mic performer, Precious Ighalo:

Precious Ighalo

Hi Precious Ighalo, thanks for joining us! Let’s get into it:

Do you play solo only, or also in a group?

Solo

How old are you?

29

Where were you born?

Lagos, Nigeria

Where did you grow up?

London

How did that place influence your music? (if at all!)

Being in London influenced my love of pop, rnb, hip hop and of course garage and house. The multiculturalism helped me embrace modern afro beats rather than just traditional ones. Being a Londoner has impacted me greatly.

Where are you based now, and why?

London – nowhere better.

What got you into making music in the first place?

Listening to the greats such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston etc, and feeling the love of music flow through them and into me.

What instrument/s do you play?

Singing

Who would be in your top 10 musical influences, and why?

MJ, JT, Timbaland, Nelly Furtado, Beyoncé, Adele, Tupac, Rihanna, Madonna, Backstreet Boys

Do you write your own songs?

Yes

How many years have you been writing songs for?

17 years

What process, or processes, do you often find yourself using when you write songs?

Find great music and see what comes out

Why did you get into playing them in the first place?

After a hard breakup, I decided to start facing some fears and do things I’ve always wanted to do but felt too scared to try.

What advice would you give new performers who are just starting out playing their first open mics?

Just do it. Feel it and think about it later

What’s the hardest thing, for you, about playing open mics?

The nerves

If it’s not already, are you hoping to make music your full-time career?

Yes

What do you currently find the hardest and biggest obstacles to moving your music career forward?

Probably age and connections, plus a full time job

What’s the one truth about you that people often find surprising?

I’m really sensitive

What’s the most exciting project you’re working on at the moment?

Me

Where is the main place should people go to find out more about you?

www.Instagram.com/velvetlizzy

We’re done! Anything else you want to share before we go?

No thanks!

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