Felix Lebarty is best known for his hit recordings – Loverboy and One Life To Live that spurned hit tracks like Ngozi, Ifeoma, etc.
After a successful career in the ‘80s, he left the scene. But in a recent interview on WhatsApp with BEATS Publisher, the Loverboy revealed his antecedents and what his present goals are:
Question: Good to talk to you, Felix. Please tell us your story from the beginning; what you were doing before your hit, Loverboy. This is for the benefit of those who don’t know you that well.
Answer: Thank you for giving me this opportunity to reach out to my people again. Before my hit album, ‘Lover Boy in 1982, I was a very strong session man in Lagos. Producers like Odion Iruoje and others always invited me as a session guitarist in their recording productions.
Question: What inspired Loverboy, it was such a monster hit?
Answer: I have always believed in listening to people and finding out the rhythm of the time, and that makes a huge difference in your creativity.
So, listening to and seeing the success of Chris Okotie, Sonny Okosun, Eddy Grant, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Onyeka onwenu, Bongos Ikwe, Ofege, Bonny Mack; Micheal Jackson’s commercial breakthrough, gave me the foundation and the direction I needed.
Question: Remind us, which other albums did you record, and what was their level of success compared to Lover Boy?
Answer: One Life to Live album featuring ‘Ifeoma’, has been a great success to date.
Question: The music industry has changed drastically with the advent of digital recording. How do you access today’s scene compared to your days?
Answer: The music industry has changed. People no longer have an interest in learning a musical instrument like they used to be. To my surprise, the youths of today have achieved so much more success internationally, than what we did in the past.
I personally salute these young stars:- 2face Baba, Davido, Wizkid, Tiwa, and my daughter for taking the industry to the next level.
Question: Why have you not been recording?
Answer: I have a lot of songs coming out soon, strictly evangelical.
Question: Do you do live shows at all? It’s like you still have an audience?
Answer: This time, I minister in songs, and live with my guitar.
Question: In terms of influence or impact on their generation; between Fela and Chris Okotie, how do you access their individual impacts on their generation?
Answer: Fela Anikulapo Kuti to me, is beyond musical influence. I learnt from him how important I am as a Nigerian and a creative person.
Chris Okotie created and added value to how society saw my generation, being musicians and creative people. In him, I knew I had to go back to school, learn to live and grow as a responsible person in society, not living a life of smoking Igbo and drinking alcohol and drugs, like it used to be with the old musicians.
Okotie’s success in my time made parents support their children openly to pursue their musical talent.
Question: Why do you choose to live in America at this time?
Answer: Living in America at this time is to perfect my evangelical influence and work my way through as an international evangelist to the world.
Question: Would you consider a collaborative recording with any of the current stars?
Answer: Oh yes. I would love to work with any of these young stars.
Question: Finally, who is your all-time favourite artiste?
Answer: Micheal Jackson.
Thanks again for the opportunity to speak with you, Felix.
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