Aṣa has spoken about her struggles in Nigeria and also in Paris.
In an interview with CNN, the award-winning singer said “In Paris, I don’t think about gender, I have to fight being from Nigeria, being from Africa … gender is not a problem. In Nigeria, I have to fight (for my) gender.”
The 39-year-old singer also dealt with the understanding in the Nigerian space that to be female and successful indicated sleeping all the way to the top so Aṣa had to prove to family that it wasn’t the case.
Aṣa who recently released her fifth album “V” noted that her gender influenced the early years of her music career. She narrated how she wore big clothing to hide her femininity and was just interested in delivering at her job. However, this cost her sexuality to be questioned with comments she often got “Are you even a woman? What’s wrong with you?”
She talks about her music influences like Bob Marley, Fela Kuti and was motivated by the positive impressions their music stirred.
On gender equality she said “I think we can find a balance,” she said. “No one is saying with the new wave of feminism we have to be on top, above; I’m just saying we could be equal and respect each other.”
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