Amaray is a Dynamic Worshipper, a recording and performing artiste, Music Director, presenter, writer and award winning Musical Concert Clinician. She has performed on stage with renowned local and international artistes like Lenny Leblanc, Viki Vilakazi, Da Truth, Panam Percy Paul, Asu Ekiye, Frank Edwards and other Great Music Ministers. She is passionate about spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ through songs.
She has released several songs and music Videos, some of which include: IMMORTAL (GOD ALL BY YOURSELF), GREATNESS, ABSOLUTELY, and of recent, DREAMER amongst others. In this interview with IMPACT NEWS, she bears her mind on gospel music industry in Nigeria. Excerpts;
There are some critics that believe that most gospel music is not evangelical. What is your take?
Well, it depends on your definition of evangelical and I know it is has to do with carrying the gospel of Christ. Yes, If you limit gospel music to “Jesus I worship you”, “give your life to Christ,” then we have a problem. If you are talking about integrity, moral decency, if you are talking about a life of love, when you go into business transaction with people you don’t cheat them, yes, that is preaching the gospel of Christ. That was what Christ did himself. He even delved into matters regarding taxation. One might say what is Christ’s business with taxation? But that is the life we live.
When we as Christians leave our churches and come back home and peopled cannot identify with us, they cannot spot us among the crowd in our neighbourhood, then we failed. So being evangelical doesn’t necessarily mean you just sing it in your song. In writing about the kind of live that should be led; you have done your job as an evangelist.
If I am answering the question from perspective of “Repent” as John the Baptist said, then they might be right to say that gospel musicians have not being evangelical in their pursuits. But let us look at it in the secular world we live, how we have stood out? I will say the critics are wrong in some way and they are also right.
What has been the experience as a gospel artiste in an environment where secular artists are more appreciated?
It has been quite an experience, because we have a lot of people who are not very bold or proud to say they are Christians, they want to be Christians in their bedroom and hidden places. But there are still those that are still willing to shout it on the rooftop and say yes, this is what I believe, I am going to support this. You find a lot of Christians supporting secular music with their funds. You are trying to do something really nice but because you are not a general musician, (let me use that word), you get limited support, yes that is a challenge for us. But there are still people who believe and say as long as this is about the life God wants us to live, am going to support what you do. Even though they are not many, it is enough, as long as the impact is made; the challenge is not that bad. The experience hasn’t be all smooth but it is worthwhile. Isn’t that what Christianity is all about? Jesus didn’t promise us a smooth journey; in fact it is the narrow road that is the road to eternity. Yes it won’t be smooth but it is worth it.
What are those things you will like to see happen in the gospel music industry?
As for what I would like to see happen, it is quality, standard. If we can just raise the bar, which of course as a matter of fact we have. In the past six, seven, eight years a lot of things have happened unlike years before when you see a gospel video and you are like “na dem”, but things have changed now. The competition is high, we need it. Jesus was never a substandard being when he was on earth. Let us step up our game. A lot of people are gifted cinematographers, producers, engineers and writers, lets us involve them in what we do. Let us step up our game. It should not be about writing two lines of songs and yes, the thing is when it gets popular everybody takes that route. Am saying let us stand for something, give it standard, let it outlive us. Am glad a lot of us are doing that already. Yes more of that.
In this Covid-19 period do you think gospel music can make impact?
This is even the period, the point in time we can actually carry out our assignment as gospel music ministers. People need hope. People really need to know that after the storm everything will be okay. In fact storms are designed to last for a very short time and this is our storm and we will come out of it. Yes we can make massive impact.
How impactful is the umbrella body of the gospel musicians in Nigeria?
I know for a fact that Fellowship of Gospel Music ministers of Nigeria has really changed things. It has been around for couple of years and it has helped a lot of music ministers find a platform, find expression. The president is Asu Ekiye, and he has been doing amazing things, fostering stronger relationship among ministers tending to their needs and also helping giving voice to the voiceless.
Do you have any project you are working on at the moment?
Am working on an ExtendedPlay (EP) this year. I know covid-19 affected everything. We are getting back on the horse and by the grace of God it should be coming out before the year runs out.
How did Covid-19 affect gospel musicians?
Like it or not gospel musicians are also part of the system. Yes we are not of the world but we live in it. If something affects the economy of the country or the global economy, it also affects us. Yes we took some blows but everybody is getting back on the horse and this time we are coming back stronger.
