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How LAOLU GBENJO Hit It BIG In Gospel Music - Reveals How He Started His Journey To Stardom




Laolu Gbenjo is one of the leading acts in the gospel scene today. He kicked off his career several years back and grew gradually to become a key player in the game. 


With 3 albums to his credit and several sold-out concerts, he is undoubtedly a master of his craft. His style of music is a blend of gospel with highlife tempo to serve nothing but the best feel to his listeners.


Laolu Gbenjo is a vibrant and talented gospel artist, he started his musical career professionally in 2008, with his first album titled Next Level and The Second; take over which was launched in 2014 and pulled over 3000 worshippers at KICC Maryland Nigeria and his recent album title Expressions, which was launched in Laolu Gbenjo and Friends 2016, and ever since has being seen on great stages performing with A-List artiste on global Platforms across the length and breadth of Nigeria. He is the CEO of Pleasant Sound Entertainment.


In this interview with City People Assistant Editor, SUNDAY ADIGUN, Laolu Gbenjo revealed how he became a music minister and some of his past experience in life.

How did music start for you?

Music started for me as an encounter. I had my childhood days in Ogbomosho. I came to Lagos late 2000 to join my family who are already staying in Lagos. My father was a Pastor before he died. Everybody in my family knows how to sing. I was the only one who could not sing and they use to laugh at me. 

I had to pray to God to teach me how to sing, that, if He teaches me how to sing I will use it to praise His name, then He answered me. Funny enough, none of them sings anymore, I’m the only one singing now. So far, the journey has been great. I started 10 years ago, when I had my first album titled “Next Level”, and then I had another album, “take over” in 2014, while I launched it in 2016.

Let’s talk about Gbenjo’s dynasty?

Olagbenjo family is a very simple family, like i said earlier, my dad was a Pastor before he died, and my mum is a deaconess. We are five in numbers;I’m the second in the family. We have twin in my family, my younger brothers. We are from Oyo State, Ibadan to be precise

Let’s talk about your performance on stage; you are always minister with so much energy. What’s the secret?

I just like to be creative. I don’t like boring environment. I always do whatever I need to do to make people dance or rejoice, if dancing or jumping will get people’s attention then, I don’t mind. More so when I hear the sound of good music, I’m definitely on.

Let’s talk about your growing up?

I had my secondary school in Ogbomosho. I went to a primary school where we were taught English with Yoruba. Coming to Lagos early 2000, I could not speak in English. It was so crazy I couldn’t speak “where you dey go, talkless of where are you going”. Everybody used to laugh at me. 

My Yoruba was so thick like “Ma ma sun mo mi, n fun o niku’kuoooo”, typical Ibadan dialect, it was that bad, but here we are today. I had my primary school in Ogbomosho, part of my secondary school in Ogbomosho, I finished my secondary school here,and then I went to LASU to study Business Administration.

How did you now blend?
I had a girlfriend then who taught me out to speak English. I remember one experience I will never forget in my life.Icouldn’t really express myself, and I went to a church that I needed to introduce my song before my presentation. I wanted to say the title of song is... and I said the topic of my song is, and people started laughing and mocking me, some even echoed “what chapter”. 

I was so embarrassed; I almost commit suicide when I got home that day. My brother worsened the matter when he said “Laolu, O ba de tiso Yoruba o, ta lo niko lo so oyinbo” meaning, “you ought to have speak in Yoruba, who asked you to speak in English”. It was so crazy. I also remember I was singing one day in church and Pastor said “go to the overflow”. 

I taught he said I should start jumping. Then, when anybody is communicating with me I will have to look at the expression on their face to understand what they were trying to say to me.  If you ask me “are you going?” if you smile I will say yes, if you didn’t smile I will say no. it was that bad.

But why was it that bad?
I grew up with my grandparent in Ogbomosho, like I said; I went to a school where they taught us English with Yoruba, like “Ki la npeni NOUN l’edegeesi? Meaning, what is the meaning of Noun? The first time I listened to contemporary music in my life was in 2002.

How did your girlfriend now come into the picture?
The lady just liked me, and she started correcting some of my blunders.  We actually met in church.

So how have been maintaining the brand over the year and what has life taught you so far, looking at where you are coming from?
It has not been easy, but God has been so good to us. It’s been great and interesting. Life has taught me to be consistent, stand for what you believe and be unique. Don’t let anybody brainwash you with religious talk. Anybody who is close to me will tell you that I’m just on my own. I am who I am today by what I believe, not because my pastor say so. So consistent, be who you are.


How would you describe the journey so far?

The journey has been challenging and great. You know, when life throws negative stuff at you, the way we respond to it determines how far we will go in life. At the onset, it was so rough to the extent that I had to borrow a suit to minister in some of my ministrations, got embarrassed and so many other things. But it’s an entirely different story today with a new glory.

How do you see your success generally?

It has been awesome and inspiring. Most times, when you look back from where you are coming from and see where you are now, you just have no reason but to give God praise. Success is not a destination though, it’s a continuous process and we shall keep attaining it at various levels.

What do you do when you are not working?

I relax with my family.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

By His grace, in the next 5 years, I see the brand, Laolu Gbenjo in all homes and also plan on giving back to the society through my NGO.

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