Nigerian-born DJ and music producer, Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, also known as DJ Cuppy, is a phenomenal personality who has taken the disk jockey trade to another level. Cuppy, who is the second out of four children of billionaire Femi Otedola, has managed to carve a niche for herself in the Nigerian music industry.
Cuppy, resident in London, started her music career when she was 16 and has risen rapidly over the years. The 22 year old is a tourism ambassador, CEO as well as patriotic citizen of Nigeria. The philanthropic artiste is passionate about the well being of her female kin and never relents when she is called upon to influence change and growth that is beneficial to them. In this interview, she talks about her love for Nigeria and her new album.
How did you come about the name DJ Cuppy?
DJ Cuppy is a name that actually came as a result of my love for cupcakes and pastries. As a young person, I have always had massive sweet tooth so, after a while, my friends and family began to call me Cupcake and from Cupcake, they called me Cubs, Cupito, etc. I think my brand is so versatile; so even though I used to name myself DJ Cupcake when I was 16, I decided that when I went into this full time, I would be known as Cuppy. Then, I won’t feel like I am constrained. So that’s where Cuppy came from.
Why did you choose to become a DJ?
I chose to become a DJ because of my passion for music. I think that everything one does should be passion-driven. I always say when you find a job you love, you never have to work a day in your life. I love the fact that I’m doing what I love to do. I think for me, it’s amazing that I get to be involved in education at the same time so, I’m also building myself as a young African woman and learning entrepreneurial skills. I also think it’s a fantastic time to be a DJ and a fantastic time to be a Nigerian.
How do you handle criticism based on your family background? Do you think your father’s position in the oil sector influenced your fast rise to the limelight?
It’s so easy to get distracted by the background. A lot of people don’t focus on what really matters, which is music. It is something I battle with; most of the time, people are most obsessed with my family and background. My dad is a fantastic father and he is such a great supporter and challenger. He pushes me. I remember when I first said I wanted to be a DJ. He said, “You can DJ but you have to be the best at it.” I think having that high level of expectation there is great. As the saying goes: to whom much is given, much is expected. I think I have that behind me. I think after a while, it’s starting to show that my music and my talent speak for themselves. It’s fantastic and I’m so blessed to have such support from home.
How was growing up for you?
Growing up, for me, was an amazing experience because I was born in Lagos and I grew up at Ilupeju (in Lagos). I remember being such a mischievous child. (laughs) I was always intrigued and adventurous. I always wanted to find out about things I didn’t know and as a child, I always wanted to explore. I think that is reflected in my brand. I think that having parents that allow me to express myself was fantastic. From a young age, I had piano lessons, art classes, dance classes etc. I think that creativity is a great way to build confidence in a child. That’s why, at this point, at age 22, I am able to run my own business; have a brand that I am building, able to do a Masters degree and conquer some of the big challenges we, women, have. I think it’s due to having such a fantastic upbringing and having parents who tell me I can be whatever I want to be.
Between your father and mother, who are you closer to?
(Laughs) That’s such a funny question. That’s like asking my mum and dad which child they love the most. It’s really hard to say. My mother is an entrepreneur. I look up to her so much. She runs Garment Care, which has been open for over ten years and she’s top of her own sector. She is also so supportive in the sense that she believes it’s important to be the best version of you. My mum lives in London but she is very active in the way she has raised me to integrate myself in our culture. I have certain values and norms that I have followed because of my mother. She is very much into respect, which we both have for each other. My father is a very inspiring individual. He is very hands-on; more hands-on than people think. He is fun too. I feel like my parents are my friends at heart. I can talk to them. They are also my biggest critics. Everyone has off days. My dad and I have great days and bad days. Same with my mum. I can’t choose right now (laughs) but if my dad and I had an argument, I would say my mum.
How did your parents react to your career choice?
I don’t think they were shocked. They always saw how passionate I was about music and they saw how much I really wanted to achieve in whatever I did. Basically, they were supportive but concerned so, they made sure I did my research before I entered the market. Aside from music, what are your long-term plans, career-wise? My long-term plan is to really grow Red Velvet Music Group (RVMG), which is my company. At the moment, we have three clients. Cuppy is one of them and we also have Maxwell, a music producer in London, and we have JTO, my sister who is a fashion blogger. I want to grow RVMG to bridge the gap between the Western world and Africa. I want to be able to position the company so that we are really providing a platform for African music outside Africa. It’s important to give young people a platform and access to exposure. I think my company is as strong as my brand is and, in the next few years, my focus is to grow the Cuppy brand to international level. I have been lucky to DJ around the world; Mexico, Bahamas etc. It’s such an exciting job and RVMG is definitely up and coming. As a matter of fact, the company is producing my tour “Cuppy Takes Africa” project.
What is the feeling like when you are working?
I forget everything when I’m up there. I love music so, for me, it is so therapeutic. Music is so powerful. I feel at peace. I really get absorbed by music; it’s why I fell in love with music. I feel like I get paid to have fun. (laughs)
What influenced your decision to become a DJ ?
I would say my drive was entering a male dominated industry and creating the same kind of standard. I think that it’s such a shame that for female artistes in Nigeria, it’s so hard for a number of reasons. We all need to support each other more and I think that people just need to give us opportunity to shine a bit more. I’m grateful that I have been given opportunity to enter the industry; also that a lot of young girls see that I’m such an inspiration to them. I can only hope that, in the music environment and entertainment industry, we see more females coming in.
Tell us about your work with the Fascinating Nigeria Campaign.
The Fascinating Nigeria campaign was fuelled by the Ministry of National Orientation, Tourism and Culture and the former Minister of Tourism, Edem
