Janelia Soul – Bedroom Magician

By starrymag | March 3, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) My music is a beautiful fusion of soul, jazz and afrobeats/world music. Lyrically, I draw inspiration from love, life and things that happen around me.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) Some of my music influences include Fela Kuti, Sade and Zap Mama. I especially grew up on Fela Kuti because my father could not just stop playing it on the stereo.

 

Q) How did growing up in Nigeria help shape you as a music artist?

 

A) Very much so, I started singing traditional folk songs as a child and today it has influenced all the music I make, to a degree. There is always some form of traditional element, either lyrically or rhythmically.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Bedroom Magician.”

 

A) As musicians that have been married for eighteen years, my husband Femi Sanya and I have written many love songs together over the years and decided it’s about time we start putting them out one at a time, so we started with one of our naughtiest songs, “Bedroom Magician.” [laughs] In addition, I am also hosting a promotional giveaway on YouTube for a whole after the music video release. Please log on to https://www.bedroommagician.com/ to learn about the contest rules and how to join the “Bedroom Magician” movement.

 

Q) How did you come to work with Femi Sanya on the song?

 

A) Femi is a sought-after producer in the music industry and, given that he is the main inspiration for the song, it was quite natural that he produced “Bedroom Magician” as well as featuring in it. Yes, he is multi-talented.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I think the title of the song alone is an attention getter. If you have ever been in a relationship with someone who has rocked your world or desire to be in such a relationship, then you can definitely connect to this song and get up and dance to it.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) The concept of the video is all about the “foreplay” and Ghana, West Africa serves as the backdrop for this all-day long foreplay.  As a woman my message behind this video is that what makes a “Bedroom Magician” or a guy great in bed is the foreplay and intimacy that occurs before the intercourse. The longer the foreplay, the better. Some guys do not get that and just want to jump right into the “thing” like we say in Nigeria. [laughs] I hope this video will provoke some feelings and discussions about that. Femi Sanya did an excellent job with helping to come up with the concept and Jeneral Jay did a great job of directing the video.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) I don’t always need music before I create and for this song, the lyrics and melody came to me together. During the production we decided to introduce an old Yoruba folk song about a husband and wife. That is the chorus of the song that Femi and I sing together.

 

Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music? 

 

A) I have a vision of exactly how I want my songs to be produced and the task is always to get the producer to understand that vision. So, I usually have a hand in all aspects of the production and make sure my input is well executed.

 

Q) How do you usually shake off a long day of working in the studio? 

 

A) I enjoy cooking. It relaxes me and it’s my go-to after a long day.

 

Q) Will there be a full album or EP coming in the near future?

 

A) Not in the near future. However, I’m actually planning one or two more collaborations with afrobeats artists, other than my husband. [laughs]

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) I love performing at festivals such as Artscape in Baltimore. These kinds of events are significant because I usually get to share the stage with popular acts which always look good on my resume.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) I would love to collaborate with Yemi Alade and Burna Boy, whom I have shared the stage within Nigeria.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

A) I am currently listening to a newly re-edited song by Fela Kuti, which dropped on Spotify. It is titled “Kalakuta Show.” I listen to it because Fela Kuti is such a classic musician, and his music always amazes me and never gets old.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) Yes, and fans can connect with me on Instagram. Social media is so important because it gives independent artists such as myself a platform to get discovered, especially when you run ads to promote your music which I do.