Music Gives Life To Everything Around Me ― Ayodeji Oyediran

Music Gives Life To Everything Around Me ― Ayodeji Oyediran

Oluwadamilola Ayodeji Oyediran is a drummer, entrepreneur and founder of The Chosen Sticks.

In this interview with FLORENCE OLUGBODI, he shares how his brand was inspired by the Holy Spirit and the passion to help people know more about music.

Why The Chosen Sticks?

It was first inspired by the Holy Spirit, then my passion and for people to know more about music, basically drums. I was just about writing my JAMB examination in 2015 when I got the inspiration to start the vision by creating a Whatsapp group where drummers will come together to share ideas about music and from there it grew to something big and getting bigger daily.

What is the biggest factor that has helped you to be successful?

Holy Spirit is the biggest factor that has helped me to be successful over the years. I know some might think that I spiritualise things too much, but I am a Christian first. So the first and biggest factor that has helped me so far is the Holy Spirit, then knowledge from books, blogs, videos, and then words of encouragement from some of the elders I look up to in the industry have also helped me so far.

How did you come about your brand name?

This is a bit funny, or how do I put it? Well, when we started, it was named Drummers Zone, then in the year 2016, I think it was in June, I can’t remember clearly, one of the guys that we started together and serves as my right-hand man, even though we haven’t met physically till now, was the one that God used to give us the name, The Chosen Sticks, and since then, people have accepted us with the brand name. What a great name, the sad part is that the guy God used then is no longer fully part of the organisation.

Who are your top five favourite drummers and why?

My top five drummers. It’s going to be a bit funny because many people will think they should be so popular and probably not Nigerians. Those I would see as my top five favourite drummers are: Itunnu Odetokun ( Hitee Sticks), Ogunmokun Peter (Piro Sticks), Victor Mosugu, Asuelimen Emmanuel and Sabu Satsha (South African).

Why they are my favourite drummers is because they play from the heart not from the head. If you want to do music, it is important to communicate and let the audience enjoy. One must do this from the heart, not from the head.

The second reason is their creativity and grooves which a layman will call beats.

What is it about music that makes you passionate?

As the popular saying goes, music is life. So what makes me passionate about music is the way it gives life to everything around me and makes me happy. There is this inner joy you have whether you are doing or listening to music, especially good music as we have music that makes you dull and gets involved in many bad things. I must not also forget the way music influences lives.

Where do you see yourself in the next five to ten years?

In the next five to 10 years, The Chosen Sticks will already have a music store, drums academy, music studio as well as be in partnership deals with some music organisations outside the country. Similarly, we would have touched and influenced more lives through our offline and online programmes.

Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?

Yes, I have, but in recent times, I have not had time, it is either work, church duties or other assignments taking my time. Sleep is however my other hobby.

Well, I love basketball, playing and watching it, but as I earlier said, there has not been free time to play it, and currently, in my town, it’s not a sport that’s taken seriously. If I still have my chance, I’d love to play it.

How far have you gone with achieving your dreams of empowering drummers to be successful in the industry?

Well, so far God has helped us to influence and empower drummers through our online programmes most times, but now we are trying to see how we can begin to do some of the programmes physically because people have been requesting for us to do some of our programmes physically. I think we only had a physical programme once in 2018 and the turnout was massive.

What advice do you have for youths like you out there?

Aside from making money and seeking popularity with their skill, they need to know God and discover purpose. The youths of this generation need to know that there is something more important than just making money and being popular.

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