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Since launching her
first album in 2001, singer Cherish Wade has given breakout musicians
something to aspire to as she fights her way up towards becoming a
chartbuster.

After an earlier
encounter with the music industry left her counting her losses because
she released only a limited number of copies of her first album, she is
hoping to do better with her second. Already, the lessons learnt seem
to be paying off, as she speaks with a glint in her eyes about
strategies she has adopted to move the new album and her career in the
right direction.

“The first album
was difficult because I was not experienced, but I thank God I went
through it. The second album is better because I am more experienced;
the quality has improved, there was money to finance the project, and
there are more producers on this album,” Wade said.

The pastor and bead
maker traces the beginning of her interest in singing to primary
school, where she was part of a cultural group. She evolved over time
to leading children’s choirs in various churches across major Nigerian
cities. Today, she has two CDs to her name, titled ‘My Lifter’ and ‘My
Lifter 2’.

“I have always had
a passion for music, so when I got born again, I became a choir
mistress. That has enabled me to lead many choirs,” she said.

It was while she
was still based in Port Harcourt that she wrote the song that helped
define the kind of things she talks about in the track, ‘My Lifter’.
According to Wade, she loves the song, not only because it was her
first original piece, but also because it is one song she believes the
whole world should hear: “I like the song so much, so I did it on my
second album”.

The first album,
which was launched in Delta State, did not reach many people as few
copies made the circuit. By putting ‘My Lifter’ on the better
distributed second album therefore, she believes it will get to a wider
listening audience. “Not too many people were able to hear the song
when it first came out. Now that this second album has [it], more
people will be able to hear it,” she said excitedly.

More exposure

The gospel singer
is now based in Lagos, where she is hoping for better opportunities in
the entertainment industry. “When a musician is in Lagos, it is easy
for your music to reach every part of Nigeria and even the world,” she
explained. “I am looking at making this album more visible by shooting
videos for the songs on my album. Also, I would be touring churches now
that ‘My Lifter 2’ has been launched.”

On how she balances
her music with life as a pastor’s wife and a bead-making trainer, she
said, “I don’t have a problem with it at all. I assist my husband in
his pastoral work, but when I have to minister in another church, I
go.”

Cherish Wade has
come a long way. She had to acquire more skills as a bead-maker when
she found out that raw talent did not immediately provide the kind of
commercial value and aesthetic she craved for her works. These days,
she combines teaching beadmaking to women, at least three times a week,
with her singing. Asked what kind of music she listens to, Wade
mentioned Don Moen, Donnie McClurkin, Asu Ekiye, Sammy Okposo, and
Panam Percy Paul.

She describes her
own music as eclectic, combining traditional Edo sounds with rhythm and
blues, reggae, and South African influences. Though an experimental
musician, Wade remains resolute in her choice of gospel music.