Ferdinand Ekechukwu
Kingsley Amu, stage name Kendickson, is a Lagos based performing artiste and songwriter signed to GM Muzik. The Bio-Technology graduate of Enugu State Science and Technology is one artiste at the moment with his song Jojo making waves, which is a good follow up to his other efforts gradually finding ways to music lovers’ playlist. “We are still promoting my Jojo song and we are still working on another song which I might drop before the end of the year,” the soft talking singer from Enugu tells his audience during a close session.
His sound is afrocentric as he explains: “Jojo is afrocentric song and it’s doing well out there. It simply means dance, dance. Officially I was signed to Black Diamond records when I was way young at 16 just after secondary school. But then I left for university after which I started a new era last year. Jojo was dropped in May and was shot by TG Omorri here in Lagos and it has more than half a million views on Youtube and its doing well so far. The song has earned me a couple of recognitions and we are still working. I have had like two songs (Over and Case) but Jojo is doing better than those two.”
Kendickson’s vocal texture is enthralling as it appears as much what he is bringing. “I’m bringing me; I’m bringing my vocals, my voice texture. Growing up a lot of people have talked a lot about it how I talk, some even mocked me. But people love it when it turns to music. I have had a lot of acceptance from other parts of the world because I’ve had people from UK, Italy, and Tanzania dancing to my song. There was a dance competition I did for Jojo and all of a sudden I started getting buzz from Netherland and this was actually the first time I am having such experience so I feel blessed and I also feel the urge to work more.”
The artiste who grew up with his musically influenced parents says he draws inspiration basically from his environment. He reveals. “It may not be all about me but about someone, it must be something I am feeling. I could talk about people’s love story and make it look like mine. My late dad Livinus Amu was a broadcaster, he worked with radio Nigeria. He took me to countries.
“I was a dancer and he was doing more of Makossa programs so he was getting buzz in Francophone countries. He actually wanted me to be a medical doctor but then he already put me through music line because growing up I had records around me, I was listening to the likes of Dolly Parton, Bob Marley, Lucky Dube, Michael Jackson, Barry White and a lot of records. So I was already part and parcel of entertainment but started officially in 2011.”
