Dismissing his critics, controversial gospel singer Willy Paul now says he is not about to change his social lifestyle and antics no matter what. “I am Willy Paul,” he told Pulse’s Kevin Oguoko during this no holds barred one-on-one
Pulse: You have been the talk of town for the last month over your beef with fellow gospel singer Bahati and the ‘stolen’ beat. Are you feeling the heat?
Willy Paul: I am under no pressure. God cannot let you go through what you can’t stand. I have learned a lot from the challenges and I know there must be a good reason why God let this happen.
P: Let’s set the record straight once and for all. Did you sample Burna Boy’s ‘Check and Balance’ track to make your latest single Vigelegele?
WP: Never. The tune is a popular 1980s one that had been made popular by Shabba Ranks. The dancehall tunes of the 80s are popular now and just like Burna Boy probably did, my producer created a tune from that old feel for my Vigelegele song. Those who are saying that I stole the song should probably ask Burna Boy if we think alike.
P: Two, have you and Bahati talked since he accused you of stealing his songs and both of you were paraded in public to forgive each other?
WP: We haven’t been in communication.
P: Why not? We thought you forgave each other and got back to business? Besides, you are brothers.
WP: I haven’t seen him since then. I think I will meet him in Nakuru where the Groove Awards tour heads this weekend.
P: Blogs and the social media in general have not been easy on you all year. Is it a case of a misunderstanding or is someone working towards your downfall?
WP: I have come to discover that these guys like to make up stories about me to make hits; and that is OK! If it serves them, well and good. I am the only artiste my age who has two songs doing over a million views on YouTube and that tells you how popular I am. I thank God. I can’t live everyday worrying about what everyone thinks about me. Haters will always hate.
P: So are you like the bad boy of gospel?
WP: I am just Willy Paul. My work as an artiste is to inspire people my age. When I did Vigelegele, people said I sounded like a secular artiste. I wonder what that means. I serve a generation that is exposed to all this cool stuff and I will not sport an old man’s look to please anyone. It is good for one to be honest with himself.
P: Could you be going secular, as many have been expecting?
WP: No. I am not going secular. I am a gospel artiste serving God. Whoever thinks I am going secular should give up. If that was to be, I would have turned away from God a long time ago.
P: Some said you are a Diamond wannabe...
WP: Am I? I was really honest when I said I like Diamond’s style and showbiz spirit. I did not see anything wrong with that neither do I regret saying that as much as I don’t want to continue talking about it now.
P: Until recently when a controversy about you and your real mother emerged, people hardly knew anything about you and your family...
WP: The reason I don’t like talking about my family is because I don’t like drawing them into showbiz. I am very close to my mother whom I visit four times, on average, every week. I met my spiritual mother in the United States and all she does is to counsel me. That said, I grew up close with family members.
P: Who are your family members, in this case?
WP: I am the last born. I have two brothers. One of them is an engineer while the other is looking forward to joining college.
P: The Groove Awards tour is on and from the reception you are getting, fans love you. Who do you think, between you and Bahati will win the big one this year?
WP: That is not a big issue really. Whoever wins, well and good. I am glad I have been nominated and I thank fans for their undying support. You should have seen them in Eldoret last week when they demanded that I repeat Vigelegele after the show ended. I am always overwhelmed by the love.
P: Where do you see yourself in two years?
WP: My plan is to conquer Africa, then the world. And well, the strategy remains my big secret.