Today we’d like to introduce you to Yadima Ugwuala.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Yadima. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started singing when I was three. I always wanted to be a singer and after going to school and pursuing a different route, I realized that I still wanted to be a singer at 22. With that realization, I moved back to Atlanta the day after graduating from Arizona State. In between then and now, I have opened up for some of the hottest acts in the Afrobeat scene; such as Burna Boy, Olamide and Rakeedo Banks. I have also started creating a name for myself by creating my own platform called Afrobeat soundcheck, which gives an opportunity for artist such as myself to perform and headline their own show.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been smooth at all. I moved back to Atlanta not really knowing what to expect. I just knew that I owed myself a chance to go after what I have always wanted. Being Nigerian, my parents haven’t always been on board and I am close to my family, so that probably had to be one of the hardest parts. I often picked studio time over meals at one point. For a long time, I lived out of my car all in the name of pursuing my dream. I think the largest obstacle as well has been myself, I am human and sometimes self-doubt does creep in (never lasts too long).
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am an Afrornb singer but I feel like I might be a bit different because of my sound as well as my cultural influences. I am Nigerian but I am American born and I embrace that fully. I try to show that as much as possible in my sound as well as my presentation. I don’t leave either part out because both parts are a major part of me. As an independent artist, I am proud of what I have been able to accomplish thus far but more excited about what I am yet to accomplish.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Determination as well as the fear of failure.
Contact Info:
- Email: yadimamusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/yadimamusic
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/yadimamusic
Image Credit:
Mikonic , Dolapo Adeola-Wilson
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