I WANT TO BE NIGERIA MUSIC AMBASSADOR IN FRANCE

I WANT TO BE NIGERIA MUSIC AMBASSADOR IN FRANCE 

                                SAYS MATHIEU ISNA

 

The Band leader of Po’Boy (The Paris Based Music band) Mr Mathieu Isna was in Nigeria recently during the brief visit that centered most on musical collaborations with Nigerian artist for his next album he spoke to us.

E.P: You are welcome to Nigeria once more, what is the purpose of this second visit?

Ans: There is a lot of secret around it, am here to meet new people (musicians, records company executives, journalist). it is purely for my next collaboration so as to move further in my Afrobeat project, I will probably do the remix of my new album here, I will equally remind you that my new album is coming up in April and we really want to come for the world music day in Nigeria of course the next FELABRATION.

Our last FELABRATION experience was great and amazing. We met a lot of great people.  The FELA-KUTI Family said we are welcome for this year felabration. So my first target here is keeping interest with the people likewise keeping business relations (news project). My plans are as you are aware is to collaborate with new Nigeria musicians because I know Nigeria is really ahead in this type of music (Afrobeat) so I will like to be the ambassador of Nigerian music in France, Yes I would say Po’Boy is the first french Ambassador of afrobeat in france and Europe that is why am going to have radio interviews like the one I had in WAZOBIA Fm;

E.P: The collaborations you want to have can, you tell us the music acts you have in mind?

Ans: Yes I have in mind musicians like Toby Grey, she is a very good friend of mine and a good artist, she understand and speak the French language , also I have met D.J’s here who are noted  for producing good music because beat makers are very important in music, have met a Dj who work with several afrobeat artist like sheyi shay is to have a deal with her to remix two or one of my tracks.

E.P: The album coming out in April what is the title?

Ans: It is titled ZOOLECTRO

E.P: Since in you are in Nigeria for collaborations to spread the universal language of music, how can people access your music?

Ans: It is on youtube and our website, www.po’boy.fr also on our instagram, po’boy band. The video “PHYSICAL LOVE” is just a teaser for the album.  It is called playscal love because it is something talking about love and it encourage us to love one another. The video is very interesting because we hired a guy from LOS- Angeles in the U.S.A. He is the number one guy that can make his fingers dance. He is a finger dancing expert. He is an amazing man so you got to see that. I have a special make-up in the video. We have a close up with his finger dancing. It is called finger twisting.

 

E.P:  The other members of your group like Miss Swala Emati Smith , Mary May, Mr Kaloou and others are they coming with you for the April Trip?

Ans: We want to have a release party in Paris and promotion in Nigeria would probably begin after in June, for the world music day before Felabration but before the release , we want to have release something on YouTube before April for our highly esteemed fans all over the world  With the Nigerian collaboration.

E.P: The new album where can music lovers get it in Nigeria when it is release in April taking cognizance of the activities of pirates.

Ans: Entertainment parrot that’s a beautiful question for the moment I have to find a  distribution for the record in Nigeria. The production would be done in France but I have to find a company to distribute it in Nigeria.

E.P:Do other members of your band have an individual musical career of their own?

Ans: Yes, for every musician, you don’t have to belong to only one band, you know music is a food for life, so you need to play with different bands , it is very necessary, our main project is Po’Boy but even myself, I play with different artist like a former Fela guitarist in France. mary may has her own project called Mary mi.

E.P: (Cuts in) yes I know that presently she is on tour with her band in new Zealand.

Ans: Yes, swala plays in her own Afrobeat band , she sings with the smith brother.they are very famous in Afrobeat circle in France playing traditional Afarobeat unlike Po’Boy, Kaloou  is a drummer and plays for several band, he is a very good drummer. On the electric beats and acoustic the combination is really really good and Guy is the best is very cool, he plays with rappers.

E.P: Your track that will be release is it a Mixture of afrobeat and hip-hop?

Ans: It is the mixture of afrobeat and hip-hop you know I love pop music, so I come from pop music background found in Louisiana U.S.A . I also love blues, also all those soul music I love it like those Billy king, I have been influenced by Afrobeat and the new hip-hop in Nigeria, so the C.D is a mixture Of afrobeat culture and the hip-hop and we keep the French lyrics English & Yoruba lyrics.

E.P:   So you want to import some Yoruba lyrics into your up coming album C.D?

Ans: Yes you know what happens in Shrine during Felabration when we sang Ogere Elejigbo which was from Lijadu sisters Femi-Kuti came on stage to commend us, it was  a success. He said you French and he played with us that is why one of the tracks is titled “OYINBO to encourage inter-racial love and understanding.