On November 26, 2024, the Gospel Musicians’ Association of Nigeria honoured Naomi Classik as Vocal Coach of the Year. Here, she reflects on what the recognition means, what it cost her to get here, and what she plans to do next.

By Tola Alli 

There are awards that surprise you, and there are awards that confirm what you already knew was true.

For Naomi Onorakposeha Oruaro, known across Nigeria and beyond as Naomi Classik, the GOMAN Vocal Coach of the Year 2024 recognition felt like the latter. Not arrogance. Not assumption. But the quiet satisfaction of a woman who has spent years doing the work in rooms that were not always watching, and who finally stood in a room that was.

The Gospel Musicians’ Association of Nigeria (GOMAN), Lagos State Chapter, presented the award on November 26, 2024, recognising Naomi Classik for her extraordinary contribution to vocal coaching, gospel music development, and the elevation of singing standards within the Nigerian church and music community. It was a moment that many who have witnessed her work said was long overdue.

But for Naomi Classik, the moment was never about being overdue. It was about being faithful.

In this exclusive interview, she speaks candidly about the award, the journey behind it, and the vision that continues to drive her forward.

IN HER OWN WORDS

The Gospel Musicians’ Association of Nigeria just named you Vocal Coach of the Year 2024. Take us into that moment. What did it feel like?

Honestly, it felt like confirmation. Not of my ego, but of the assignment. There are seasons in this work where you are pouring out and wondering if anyone truly sees the depth of what you are building. And then a moment like this comes and reminds you that faithfulness does not go unnoticed. I felt grateful.

Deeply, genuinely grateful.

When you say confirmation — confirmation of what exactly?

Confirmation that the standard I have refused to lower matters. I have never been willing to teach halfway or train singers to be mediocre. I push. I demand excellence. Not because I am harsh, but because I believe every singer deserves to be the best version of themselves. This award says that approach is right.

It says excellence is worth fighting for.

Walk us through your journey to this point. How did Naomi Classik become who she is today?

It started with a love for music that could not be contained. But love alone does not make you excellent — discipline does. I studied the voice. I studied technique. I sat under teachers, I observed masters, I practiced relentlessly. And then I began to teach, because I realised that what had been given to me was too important to keep to myself. Every step of this journey has been intentional. Nothing about where I am was accidental.

You are described as a global vocal coach. What does that word “global” mean to you in practical terms?

It means my classroom has no walls. I have trained singers in Nigeria, across Africa, in Europe, in diaspora communities. My methods work whether I am in a studio in Lagos or on a video call with a student in London. “Global” is not a title I gave myself — it is the reach that the work has demanded.

When your message is strong enough, it travels.

What qualities do you believe earned you this recognition from GOMAN specifically?

I think it is the consistency. Anyone can have a good season. But to maintain standards year after year, to keep producing singers who go on to perform at high levels, to keep showing up for the church music community even when it is not always celebrated or compensated the way it should be — that consistency is what I believe they saw. Excellence is not an event. It is a lifestyle.

The award came from a gospel music association. How central is faith to your work as a vocal coach?

It is the foundation. I do not separate my faith from my craft. I believe the voice is a gift from God, and my responsibility is to steward that gift with the highest level of skill and integrity. When I teach, I am not just training voices — I am helping people understand the weight of what they carry. A gospel singer is not just a performer. They are a messenger. And a messenger must be prepared.

You have trained singers across multiple levels, from beginners to professionals. What is the most common thing holding singers back?

Fear. And the cousin of fear, which is comparison. So many singers spend their energy trying to sound like someone else rather than discovering their own voice. My work is often to undo that — to strip away the imitation and help them find what is authentically theirs. When a singer stops competing with another voice and starts owning their own, everything changes.

What has been the most rewarding part of your coaching career so far?

Watching transformation. There is nothing like seeing a singer who came to me timid, unsure, technically shaky — and watching them walk onto a stage months later with full command of their voice and their presence. That is not just vocal development. That is a person becoming who they were created to be. No award can match that feeling. But this one comes close.

What does this award mean for the singers you have trained?

Everything. Because this is not just my award. It belongs to every voice I have ever trained. Every student who pushed through a difficult exercise, every session that ran long because we were chasing something closer to perfect, every singer who trusted me with their voice — this recognition is for them too. I want them to see it and know that the standard we held together is being honoured.

What is next for you following this recognition?

More. There is always more. I am expanding my coaching programmes, deepening my digital reach, and building systems that will allow me to train even more singers at a higher level. This award is not a destination — it is fuel. The work continues, and honestly, it is only getting bigger.

ABOUT NAOMI CLASSIK

Naomi Onorakposeha Oruaro, known professionally as Naomi Classik, is a Lagos-based global vocal coach, music minister, and founder of Classik Empire. She is the 2024 recipient of the GOMAN Vocal Coach of the Year award, presented by the Gospel Musicians’ Association of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter. She has trained singers across Africa, Europe, and beyond, and remains one of the most respected voices in gospel music development on the continent.