Bagetti – The First Lady of Jonzing World – THISDAY Style

Tiwa Savage, Ayra Starr, Nicki Minaj—what do these three successful music stars have in common? At some point (even now), they were the First Ladies of their respective record labels. Now, amidst this legacy of powerhouse women emerges Bagetti, who comes under a record label where names like Rema and Ruger have already left indelible marks – Jonzing World Family.

 Now joining their ranks is Bagetti, a trailblazing talent whose signing announcement and debut EP release have captivated audiences worldwide.

Just as the aforementioned super ladies have shaped the industry with their boldness and creativity, Bagetti brings her own distinct flair to the forefront. With her genre-defying sound and socially conscious lyrics, she represents a new chapter in Afrobeat and a seismic shift in the global music scene. As the newest First Lady of Jonzing World, Bagetti is poised to break barriers with every note.

True to my commitment to spotlighting the brightest talents among Gen Z, I’m thrilled to bring you this engaging conversation with an emerging star making waves.

Congratulations on the release of your debut EP and song! Can you share the inspiration behind the music and what it means to you to have it out in the world finally?

I believe my inspiration is mostly not earthly-based because I usually get out-of-body experiences. However, there are definitely times when I’m in the know, and those times, I get inspired by life experiences. It could be mine or someone else’s, as well as conversations with people I know or people that I don’t even know exist. Trust me, I have a very creative imagination.

Being the first female artist to be signed to a major label in your country is remarkable. How do you feel now that your music is officially out there for the world to hear?

Honestly, it was a prayer answered because a long time ago, I prayed to be the first female in a Big Label, although I forgot about it until it happened.

So this is quite special for me. Apart from achieving this prayer, being signed to a label like Jonzing World makes me feel like God’s favourite child because I get to learn from D’prince. If you are opportune to know him closely, you would know what I’m talking about. D’prince is a great mentor with a genius mind. He is also very hardworking, and I’m super grateful and elated that he has helped me get my story out to people unfiltered and undiluted. I am also excited that the feedback I have been getting is impressive because everyone seems to be loving it, and I feel truly blessed and grateful because I know how rare that is.

Your music has been described as genre-defying, blending soulful melodies with infectious rhythms. What drove you to experiment with different sounds, and how do you think your audience will react to this musical journey?

Music is an art, and art is without form, fluid and boundless. As a young girl, I listened to many different genres, from RnB to jazz to Afro classics, Apala, country, hip hop, and dancehall. I can go on and on. And so, I believe that’s what concocted all these things that I am and how I create music. Speaking of my audience reaction to my musical journey, I would say they should be rest assured, because y’all are in for a good time with me, trust me.

Your lyrics are known for their socially conscious themes. Can you talk about some of the messages you explore in your songs and why they’re important to you?

My song centres on different life experiences, both mental and emotional. This is because I know myself and my power, and knowing myself means I can help people around me and in society.

You learn that the more we mature, the more we find ourselves missing something as simple as a birthday chant, “Go Getti,” we used to hear at birthday parties as kids.

I also feel we lose too much of ourselves on the way to adulthood, hence the importance of finding yourself so you’ll find your people…you see, music is so beautiful; it is a powerful tool. I say this because it could be you using music to ginger your guy to talk to the girl he likes or using it even to help you remember to pray, or perhaps heal from a situation.

Where I come from, we understand this assignment of music and I see the art in it hence my lyrics and message are mostly constructed to my artistic view of life at the time which I pass across in my music.

Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, has undoubtedly influenced your music. How do you incorporate your cultural background into your artistic expression, and what aspects of Lagos inspire you the most?

Growing up in Lagos is absolutely one of the best things about my life, tbh! Lagos is fun, tbh, and during my childhood days, I always had one interesting event or the other and my childhood was music-filled; I owe that to my dad, who is a huge music lover and was very instrumental when it came to me falling in love with music, as a child, I loved to sing and dance just like him. He introduced me to Dolly Parton, Lagbaja, Michael Jackson, Haruna Ishola, The Cars, Onyeka Onwenu, Whitney Houston, Paul Play, Mo Hits, and Styl Plus, just to mention a few.

Apart from my father’s influence, just taking one small stroll in Lasgidi, you would definitely hear music, so you can’t help but love music if you’re a Lagosian or should we even start talking about the diversity of music playing in lasgidi! I mean, Stop playing!

Every part of Lagos has something different to give you and it’s so special when you can soak it all in and make something beautiful with it, Lagos basically tells you everything is possible and that’s still the best thing about this city!

Your vision is to inspire positive change and unity through your music. How do you see your EP contributing to this vision, and what impact do you hope it will have on listeners?

The goal has always been to connect to people through music (especially when it’s not working in real life), But first, connecting with one’s self because that is very important. Know yourself first, understand who you are to better connect with others genuinely and create new tribes with the purest of vibes. That is the beauty of my EP.

My EP, New Dawn, is a gateway to self-awareness, and it’s really interesting to see the many different ways it resonates with people—ways I never even thought about myself.

As a young artist, what challenges did you encounter from starting your music journey in 2015 up until this moment? How do you think these challenges can be addressed so that other upcoming artists don’t have to face the same obstacles?

I’m a big ball of “Try it first” Don’t say it can’t be done when you haven’t tried; even after it fails, come back at it with another style. That’s what has been constantly birthing civilisation over and over. I can’t stress enough how we need to believe in ourselves. It’s not enough that someone else believes in you because you have to believe, too; having believers around is a huge plus. Why? Because it gets you on the road to getting there, I started my music journey in 2019.

Imagine not going through obstacles, and imagine gold, silver, and diamonds not going through fire. That being said, every obstacle I faced shaped me and my art… I always had people believe in me and my sound from the beginning, so I would say I’ve been blessed in that aspect and I chose to focus on that and not the other side. I’m not saying there weren’t times that I felt like, ‘What am I even doing?’ there were, but the belief and support always surpassed it.

So whenever there’s either a producer telling me I can’t do this style or genre or getting invited to shows and they’ll still forget to call you to perform to some music Execs saying that I have to do drugs if I’m going to join their label, it was an instant no thank you…yeah, I found out that some people put their artists on drugs. I don’t know the math behind it, so please don’t ask me, but I had belief, and people in my corner were cheering for me, which kept me going. I want young artists to embrace it, whatever obstacles you encounter, use it, face it head on, don’t turn your back and quit seeing it as a springboard instead. It will help you grow as a person and directly impact your art positively.

Now that your music is out in the world, can you share a memorable moment from the creative process or a special experience you had while recording the EP?

The most memorable moment would be watching DAWN create itself because that track was made when I was transitioning into something else, and it took me by surprise. To be honest, I love it when I’m surprised, especially by myself. Now, to see that many people connect to it and also went through that experience the exact way I did is mind-blowing.

Each song on your EP likely holds its own story or theme. Can you give us a glimpse into the creative process behind the tracks and what inspired their creation?

I just pour myself into my music and watch it become whole. Having people tell me how genuinely it speaks to them and connects to them is unbelievably satisfying because each track is like a different stage in my life.

While creating this body of work together, I and Wizad knew that it was different, yet, we dared to do it anyway, and I can’t thank Dprince enough because only very few persons are willing to take the risk with you.

Looking ahead, what are your goals and aspirations as an artist, and how do you hope this debut EP will shape your journey in the music industry?

The aim is to start a movement, a religion, starting with this generation and then the next, and to increase the acceptance of diversity in our many genres.

Also, to communicate every message, unlocking the purest of vibes without compromising quality. It’s already evident I’ll be an unstoppable force and, most importantly, the voice that births a NEW DAWN in the industry.

Credit

Photography:@ _thesilk

Makeup: merakibyonome

Stylist: @lunick uri

Creative Director: @_thesilk and Lunickuri