I’m having the time of my life —Di’ja

 

Hadiza Blell aka Di’ja is the second lady to be signed to Mavin Records. Petite but impressive, she talks about her career and aspirations

Where are you from?

My mum is from the North. I am also to a certain extent Sierra Leonean and Lebanese. I was born and raised in Kaduna. When people see a light-skinned person and mistake them for silver spoon kids, I consider that mental slavery and it is sad.

Do you wish you were dark-skinned?

I almost feel sorry for our nation because some people think that the lighter the skin colour, the better life will be for the person. Sometimes when I walk on the streets, I see the way our people treat others differently because of skin colour. I think we are now in a black-on-black racist society. Black does not just come in dark shades; some blacks are light-skinned. I did not pick my family. I like to believe my race is humanity. We come in different colours and that does not mean that one person is better than the other. It means that God is an awesome and colourful God.

Do people think they can intimidate you because of your size?

Yes, but the mind is a beautiful thing. I am such an odd human being and my mind really helps me. If someone comes to me as a lion, I can literally turn them to a pussy cat by my imagination and they will not look so scary anymore. I feel we try to intimidate people, not because we are mean or wicked, but because it is all we have. It is something that is innate; maybe because we feel the world is not big enough for all of us or we should not all do the same thing. We have to realise that the world is big enough for others. We may not be as successful as the other man, but if we realise that, we will live and do all that we do.

You also draw…

The inspiration comes from my experiences and other people’s lives. It is something I did not do in school, but is a way of self expression for me. I studied Biology and Psychology. Everything I have done is not professional. It is not as if I do not believe in myself, but I do not claim it, because I believe there are people who have put in more. I am just grateful that I am able to express both. I do my art with the pen and on walls. I featured some of my art in my new video titled ‘Awww.’ I sing and draw the things I experience; half of my catalogue has not been touched yet because we record everyday in Mavin.

You seem to be enjoying the fame…

I am having the time of my life right now and Mavin is putting a stamp on something that I have been doing for the last six years. It has been crazy and so many people have had a hand in where I have gone; that is why it is difficult to say that one person has made me who I am today.

People think the single, Dorobucci, is demonic…

People say a lot of things about everything. But God does not bless demonic things. For the fact that God blesses us means we have Him on our side. When you are getting to the point of success, things will come out of the woods. That is when you know you are doing something right. Jazzy has built a legacy that a lot of people are trying to bring down.

How would you describe Don Jazzy?

Don Jazzy is a clown; if one follows him on Twitter and Instagram, one will find out that he always jokes with his fans. The reason people think he is too serious is because we live in a very judgmental society. Someone always comes up with something. He is not as serious as he looks; looks can be deceiving.

Was there rivalry between you and Tiwa savage when you joined the label?

Apart from the rivalry the media made up, there was no rivalry. Right from when I got in, every single person has been supportive and they shared their experiences with me. We get along very fine. I do not see her often, but when I do, it is pretty hilarious. She is funny.

How do you relate with the rest of the crew?

We are a family; they make fun of me all the time. Tiwa and I are like the two girls in the midst of a bunch of guys.

How do you exercise?

I do a lot of yoga.

How do you treat male fans?

I try to give them as much respect as they give me. You only give what you get. You only put yourself out there, but you cannot really control how much people like you or not, but there is always a limit that we can take. I believe in a lot of love, but not in disrespect. I cannot control what people do, but I can control how I take it. I appreciate every love they give me because without them, my music will not reach number one on iTunes.

Has your fashion sense evolved?

I may not be a style icon because there are some clothes that I put together that may not really work well. I get inspired by a lot of people, but I am most comfortable in sweatpants and sweatshirt and I can wear them with heels. I love solid colours and Ankara trousers. My fashion is definitely changing; it is not something anyone will put on the cover of a magazine, but I love it because it is my comfort zone.

How do you unwind?

I draw and hang with friends; but I spend a lot of time with family too.