2 weeks Ago By Ifeoma Ononye
Some of your fans got to know about you during your NYSC programme. You always went with a guitar anywhere. Was that when the music started officially for you? Well, I would say that was my first official recognition of the same thing I’d been doing way before.
It was more like a confirmation that I could do this. I remember winning every music competition organized by different big brands in camp, including one of the biggest telecommunications giants in Africa, which gave me a mini-celebrity status in Camp. I remember being shocked and confused when asked for an autograph for the first time in my life.
Your group, “The Pulse Band”, won the Star Quest in 2009. Aside from the DJ Switch, who became a popular DJ and also trended worldwide during the Endsars protests in October 2020, what happened to the rest of the band? They are doing very well; some of them are the musical brains behind most musical talent shows you see on TV in Nigeria today while the other instrumentalists are breaking grounds on the biggest stages outside the shores of Nigeria. For years now, you have been blessing social media timelines with songs that speak people’s minds or tell their reality.
How do you just know the topics and words to use that instantly connect with the listeners? Social media has become a major tool for self-expression, and for me, making songs that speak people’s minds or tell their reality is me speaking my mind and expressing my reality because at the end of the day, we are all in this together. What do you call the kind of music you do? It’s hard to box me into one particular genre of music because of how versatile I am. My latest song, “You are broke” (The Broke song), is something I came up with and has never been done before, which is Afro-Country music.
But I guess the closest genre to describe my sound would be Afro Pop/Alternative. Why did you choose your kind of unique musical sound? Well, I wouldn’t say I intentionally chose any particular kind of music or sound. What I did was to let my true personality in its purest form flow through me, so that I create different sounds and styles depending on my mood and feelings at the time, and that’s why I can sing about the most sensitive topics, passing a strong message while making you laugh.
It is my way of providing a coping mechanism for the hardship and depression of the masses. The song “You are Broke” (The Broke Song) has gotten millions of views across your social media profiles. Why do you think people like it? Like I said before, people like it because it resonates with them and highlights their current reality, almost as if I read their minds.
The hardship in Nigeria is at an all-time high, and the poverty margin has expanded exponentially. What Nigerians need right now is to take their minds off all the worries and mental stress, even if it’s for a minute, and I am that distraction. What inspired you to write the You Are Broke song? The inspiration for the song came from always seeing that “iPhone Storage full” message on my phone.
Then, one day, I decided to check why, and I discovered that it was caused by the thousands of screenshots over the years of all the expensive things I was hoping to get when I finally could afford them. I just laughed and thought to myself, “Damn, Dubie, you need to work harder”, and right there, I knew I wasn’t the only one in that predicament. So, I decided to use it as a motivation for anyone, who cared to listen.
But of course, I had to add some Dubie humour to make it less offensive and more relatable. It was noticed that you were playing the Guitar and harmonica at the same time in the now viral “You are broke” video, something no one has ever seen you do. How did you learn to play multiple musical instruments? Well, as a musician, I get bored easily.
So, I’m always reinventing myself and learning new things. How I see it is that when I have played an instrument for a while, I get bored, and so does my musical instrument. So, I have to get her or him a new family member for company, thereby expanding my family of musical instruments.
What influences you to sing certain songs? My everyday life. I write songs from my personal experiences or things going on in the world around me. And mostly how these events/experiences make me feel at a particular moment.
How can people connect with you to be able to see more of your content and keep up with your future releases? People can connect with me online by searching @Dubiemusic across all social media platforms, where they can get first-hand information on new releases and upcoming shows. Where can people find the “You Are Broke” song? Is it available for download? Oh yes! There are two versions of the song..
The Acoustic version and the Normal version. So, the listeners have a choice to pick their favourite. They are both online on every music platform and available for download.
Can you tell us more about yourself? My full name is Chukwudubem Mitaire Ochokwu, AKA Dubiemusic or just Dubie. I was born on the 13th day of April. I am from Obosi, Anambra State, Nigeria.
I have a BSC in Geography and regional planning from Delta State University. Abraka. I am a talented singer/songwriter and an all-round entertainer.
I have graced the biggest stages as opening act for International artists like R Kelly, Ludacris, Bobby Brown, Bel Biv Devoe, Keri Hilson, Wyclef Jean, Jidenna and a host of others..
