Starting the year 2022 with the single “Odo Nana Remix” featuring veteran Highlife musician Kwabena Kwabena, Lady Jay captivated consumers with a vibrant highlife-infused ballad all about love. This release would serve as consumers’ first taste of the project “Anywhere 2 Dey.”
Lady Jay then followed up the release of the Odo Nana remix with a single entitled Clarity, released on the 11th of March.
Excited about the music released by Lady Jay, I eagerly awaited our scheduled call. I was welcomed with an infectious burst of energy that left me fully engaged throughout our conversation. Heavy with the banter intertwined with life gems and lessons, I spent two hours getting to know the artist known as Lady Jay and her newly released EP “Anywhere 2 Dey.”
Q: Your first EP was entitled “Anywhere You Dey,” and currently your new project is titled “Anywhere 2 Dey,” explain the meaning of the titles of your work and how they are related.
A: Anywhere 2 Dey, play on Anywhere two people dey. Anywhere you dey, came from my single fire two years ago and odo nana. In odo nana one thing that kept coming when we were listening to the song, my friends kept screaming “Anywhere you dey.” My friend told me, “Lady, I think Anywhere you dey should be the name of your project.”
“Anywhere You Dey” is basically me saying anywhere you dey you for hear my music and “Anywhere 2 Dey” is more specific and geared towards music two people can enjoy.
Q: On this new Ep you debut a Remix to Odo Nana, how did the remix come about?
A: I have a great relationship with Kwabena Kwabena. I have known him for about 12 years. I reached out that I had a song I wanted to remix. He shared he loved the song and was willing to do it. Working with him, he helped me write it properly and structure the song properly. The Remix was written and arranged by Kwabena Kwabena.
During the experience, he taught me different ways to write and create.
Q: What is the biggest lesson music has taught you as an artist?
A: Even Though I feel I am part of something, I have to remind myself that I will have to stand alone. Because of the kind of career, I have chosen, I know I have to stand alone. You can’t depend on anyone. You should expect anything from anyone.
Q: Describe your songwriting process? How did each song come about?
A: The songs from this EP were taken from songs I had recorded between 2020 and 2022.
Marry You came about because I didn’t have the conventional love story. My producer played this mad beat and Yaa Pono happened to be there. The song came from celebrating an exciting moment in my life. The song is written from joy, and it came so easily.
Clarity is my favourite song. Clarity was written last November. I wanted to do amapiano in my own way. When the beat was first played for me, it was too fast, so I had to slow it down. The writing for this track was very intentional coming from stories I hear from women around me based on lack of communication and wanting in a relationship. The song mimics a man and woman talking.
For Sor Mi Ha I had been following Ama Nova for a while, and we happened to meet through our hairdresser. She extended the offer that she would love to work with me. I made time and we hit the studio.
Oh Yes was originally recorded over a different beat in Rome.2021 was a difficult year for me, due to a lot of changes in my life. I wasn’t motivated, and I was overthinking and crying. I realized crying won’t solve anything and I had to conquer my fears. I couldn’t watch myself fail. The song was written with the mindset of making it no matter what.
I have had an encounter with depression and at one moment, my friend shared with me that Aretha Franklin didn’t make it till she was in her thirties. I had to understand that this is my journey, and I can’t rush how things are going. I started to listen to more of Aretha’s music, and I realized that she believed in herself a lot. Nobody cared about her, but she only got recognition later in her life.
The song serves as reassurance. It helped me change the way I think and the way I write. I am writing about real-life experiences. If I sing about real things, I am making more of a connection with my audience.
Q: Describe your sound to somebody unfamiliar with Lady Jay?
A: I describe my sound as Afro Femm. Afro Femmencapsulates all the sounds related to Afro music under one umbrella. Apart from Afro Femm, I am also a specialist in R&B. I consider Afro Femm as a new genre. Afro Femm consider it the embodiment of it all
Q: What would you consider the most difficult song to write and what made it difficult to write?
A: Oh yes, it was very difficult to write, so I used an application. It helped me find other ways to write and say what I wanted to say. My focus now is on improving my writing. I love how James Fauntleroy writes. There is a formula to every song that is captivating. I feel like I am almost there, but I am not fully there yet. I feel my writing is mediocre and I feel I can do better.
Q: What do you want your listeners to take away from your EP?
A: It is weird for me to hear I have fans. I know some people love my music and I appreciate them for that. My first EP allowed people to get to know me better, so the second EP is meant to open up more. I am very closed off and people take that as I don’t like people. I can be in front of people singing but I don’t like being in the midst. I am still working on myself, but I still find it hard to exist amid people.
Q: What was the best moment about creating the Anywhere 2 Dey?
A: Proving to myself I could shoot four videos in two days. It was tough, but I proved to myself I can do anything I put my mind to.
Anywhere 2 Dey is available on all streaming platforms.
