BREAKING NEWS:
‘MUSIC is MY LIFE, I Can’t LIVE without MUSIC’-Queen JULIETTA, PMAN Chairperson Abuja Chapter
…Alleges: ‘PMAN Past Leaders Greedy, Envious and in Conspiracy since Music Association President decline their Corruption Advances’
* ‘I Created Next Female Artist Singing Competition to Discover, Train female talents in the Music Industry’
* BONY-M’s producer in Germany, Helmut Rulofs behind My MAIDEN Album
* Performed in lots of Music shows Nationally and Internationally
* ‘I’ve NEVER been Sexually Harassed and Won’t be by God’s Grace’
* Produced TWO albums and lots of singles, THIRD album out next year
* ‘Not easy growing up, Was Not Born with a Silver Spoon’
*HAD an Italian Father and a Nigerian Mother
QUEEN JULIETTA is the Chairperson of the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) in Abuja, having been the owner of Diamond Entertainment. She was raised by a single Mother from her childhood into adulthood, inspite of having an Italian father. In this Exclusive Interview with TOMI OLEKA/ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR, Naija Standard Newspaper, she discussed various issues affecting crisis in PMAN national chapter, Her successes in the Music Industry, How she has not heard any Sexual Harassment, Plans to release her third Album by next year and How Bony-M Music Producer in Germany released her First Album
Q: What led you into music?
My passion and love for music led me to music. Music is life
Q: If you had not been into music, what other careers would you have been into?
Personally, I haven’t really imagined life without music, I don’t think I would ever stop doing music because music is vast. There is also the business side of music so there’s a lot of work to be done, but if I am to add to the profession, I would be a business woman.
Q: Are there times you feel like giving up music?
Yes, there have been so many times I have asked myself if I am in the wrong profession but no matter how bad it gets, my passion for music drives me on.
Q: How do you derive inspiration in music composition or writing?
Actually both, sometimes I write before going to the studio and sometimes the producer creates a beat and if I like the beat I write a song for it.
Q: Take us through your ‘Next Female Artist Singing Competition’ which you long ago established…
Wow, the ‘Next Female Artiste competition’ is a talent hunt for discovering budding female talents in the music industry. Female artistes are really not given enough opportunity as their male counterparts, in this part of the world it is a struggle for them.
I created this platform to discover and promote them, but there has been challenges, especially financial challenges and getting sponsors, but I look forward to the next edition next year which I am going to use for my foundation ( The Queen Julietta foundation) to organize it by God’s grace.
Q: You are extremely very beautiful, intelligent and charming-looking, are you married?
Yes. I am married
Q: How come your Facebook status says you are ‘engaged’?
Lol, its just an unconscious mistake. I don’t think its harming anybody, but the truth is that I have not looked at my profile in years.
Q: Is it right to say you have not yet met your Mr. Right so you can be married, or what are you looking for in your ideal man?
Its fair to say I have met Mr Right
Q: How many albums have you produced so far?
I have produced TWO albums and lots of singles, the THIRD album will be out by next year. My FIRST album was produced in Germany by Helmut Rulofs who produced Bonny-M.
Q: Kindly take us through some of the music shows you have performed?
I have performed in lots of shows nationally and internationally, believe me I have lost count.
Q: Was there anytime you had been sexually harassed by anyone in your music career due to your natural beauty?
Well I have been a very lucky woman, I have never encountered such and by God’s grace I will not.
Q: Why the stage name ‘Queen Julietta’?
Well I have grown in the entertainment industry and now I’m promoting a lot of young acts. I am the Queen of my empire the Diamond Queen been that the name of my entertainment outfit is called Diamond. My music entertainment outfit was established in 1996 so I deem it fit over the years to be called Queen Julietta.
Q: Take us through your childhood into adulthood…
That’s a long walk I must say. I was never born with a silver spoon. I was born to an Italian father and a Nigerian mother. Everybody has a story to tell. I grew up with a single mother who had up till she passed on always supported my passion for music . It was not easy growing up, I learnt to be independent and now as an adult I am able to handle challenges that comes my way.
Q: Why do you think there is no peace in the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN)?
Well PMAN, like most other Associations has had its fair share of problems up and down because most of the past leaders never cared about how to move the industry forward but only about their personal interest. The intervention of the now elected president Mr Pretty Okafor, who came in with the interest of building and taking the association to another level but the past leaders are just envious that they could not come up with such bright ideas so they are making things difficult especially because he did not give in to their corruption advances. I don’t know why people don’t like good things. For now we are still putting things in order.
Q: What other music projects are you presently working on to help empower ladies?
I’m working on lots of projects especially with my foundation , also I’m working on lots of promotion activities for upcoming and rising artistes its my own way of giving back . I’m also working on my album project for next year.
Q: Finally, kindly mention some of the highest achievements in the music industry including awards won…
I’ve been blessed with a lot of Awards but to mention a few recent ones Award of Excellence in recognition of my works empowering the youths through the creative industry from The Female Anatomy . Award of Honor for outstanding Entrepreneurship in youth Advocacy from the Face of independence pageant . certificate of Appreciation from Rotary Club of Abuja Asokoro Diamond district . Outstanding Performing Musician from The Positive Impact Awards.
