Management Problems Drove Us Apart-- Shifi (Style Plus)

 

STYLE-Plus was one of the hottest groups in the modern day Nigerian music scene,which made waves in the early 2000, with the smash singles, “Runaway” and “Olufunmi.”  

Unfortunately, the group went underground several years ago, after one of the trio, Tunde Akinsanmi decided to embark on a solo career, leaving Shifi Omoefe and Zeal Onyecheme to their fates.
While many have attributed the demise of the group to selfish ego and dwindling musical fortunes, Shifi in this exclusive interview with Weekend Groove blames their misfortunes on management issue, revealing, however, that the group is planning to stage a comeback next year.

By Benjamin Njoku
Your fans have been missing the group since you went underground many years ago. Do you have any plan to stage a comeback?
Yes, we are looking forward to staging a comeback next year. We might release a single before the end of this year(last year). If everything works out the way we planned it, we also might be doing a collaboration. But hopefully, we are going to drop an album next year.
What happened to the group?
A lot of things happened. We had a fallout with our management twice. More so, one of us left the group. There has been a lot of repackaging so to say. Sometimes, our fans think the group is disbanded, while in actuality, the group is still in existence. Only one of us left the group. There was a period when everything was a bit edgy, but we have come together again.
Why did Tunde Akinsanmi walk out of the group. Was there any internal squabble?
He embarked on a solo career, which he’s currently pursuing. That’s what he wanted for himself. It’s not like we were married in a court of law. He felt, it was the direction he needed at that stage of his career. He’s getting on well and it will surprise you to see three of us come together again some day.
But what have you been doing since the group went underground?
We still sing. We still attend a lot of events, especially in the northern part of the country and sometimes in Europe. But apart from that, for years now, we all have our hands in different businesses to make ends meet.
Don’t you think your disappearance from the scene was a serious setback to the group?
You know, as people grow with age, individual priorities tend to come up, and sometimes, they overshadow that of the group. If you call it a setback, you just want to. But it’s about life and life happens. It could have happened six years ago,or four years from now. But the major thing is that, if the music is in you, you keep singing and do not look back.
Do you feel worried that your fans over the years have been missing your music?
As a group, we have gone through a lot. Inasmuch as we are sympathetic to the feelings of the fans, the truth remains that the group faced a lot of challenges.
If we were unable to resolve the internal problems, even when we decide to go into the studio, it would be difficult to give our fans a good music comparable to the ones we released back in the days. So, it’s important to address the internal problem first and foremost before anything else.
Your style of music is quite different from what obtains today, how do you intend to cope with the trend when you stage a comeback?
It’s simple, just do the best you can: follow your instinct, your talent and your musical ability and leave the rest to God. Do what you have to do, we are not competing with anybody.
Can you give us an insight into your forthcoming album!
It’s a blend of RnB and pop. It has an RnB version as well as a dance version. Above all, it has a regular   Styl-Plus RnB flow. We like it and hopefully, our fans will embrace the songs too.
What have you missed since you went underground as a group?
We didn’t miss anything. For us, it’s not about money. When we started, we didn’t plan to sing for commercial purposes. We liked the way our music sounded and the way our fans enjoyed listening to our music.
How did you come together as a group?
It was during our university days that we formed the group in 1997. I read Quantity Survey. After graduation, I picked up a job in an Aluminum company and worked for about a year and half.
Then, we have already formed the group, and I was combining my work with attending shows. Then, our music was not all that popular. But when our music started making waves, I couldn’t continue as I quit the job to pursue my career in music.
What’s your most memorable moments on stage?
Every time you think you have had your memorable experience on stage , something shows up that is more memorable than the former. Tonight(Felaberation 2014) is the most memorable moment for me. This is because we disappeared for some years now and still hit the stage. Performing on stage, it looked as if we never disappeared.