Nigerian highlife sensation Chinedu Okoli, known to many as Flavour, recently shared how a pivotal moment with the music duo Psquare altered the course of his career.
In a candid conversation on the ‘In My Opinion’ podcast, Flavour opened up about his musical journey, which began humbly as a church choir conductor and drummer. He was introduced to a music company where he received training and eventually led a band, playing at various events and gradually building a following.
Flavour recalled, “They saw my dedication and connected me with a man who owned a music company. I was lucky enough to join their band during a rehearsal. It was my first time seeing a proper music setup, and I ended up serving there for 13 years. I wasn’t even thinking about becoming ‘Flavour’—my focus was just on playing at events.”
However, things changed when Flavour left the band and took his talents to the streets. He played at different joints, where he performed tirelessly, sometimes from 8 p.m. until 3 a.m. But despite his talent and hard work, he noticed a stark difference between himself and the rising stars he encountered. “I would see these artists perform for 30 minutes, and the crowd would go wild. I couldn’t help but wonder, ‘Aren’t we all musicians?’” he shared.
Flavour’s turning point came during a performance alongside Psquare. Reflecting on that night, he said, “They had just released ‘Temptation,’ and when they performed at City Centre in Enugu, the crowd went crazy. It hit me that the difference was they had their own sound. They weren’t just playing music—they were creating it.”
This realization pushed Flavour to evolve from a musician to an artist, a journey he described as challenging but necessary. “I thought it would be easy because I could sing and play, but creating my own sound was a whole different game. I had to start from scratch.”
Flavour’s story is a testament to the power of reinvention and the importance of carving out a unique identity in the music world.
