“Why I switched from singing gospel music to secular music in Benin” – Mavin record singer, Rema unearths

Mavin record singer cum songwriter, Divine Ikubor, professionally known as Rema has disclosed why he swapped singing gospel music with secular music.

The forthcoming Headies Award nominee unleashed this during a talk show titled Rubbin’ Minds show by Channels TV, scrutinized by The PUNCH on Sunday.

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The Calm Down crooner switch began when he started going to sing at bars and lounges just so he could make ends meet.

The Benin-born singer disclosed that before then, he was the head of a gospel rap group in his church.

In his words,

I was still in Benin when that switch happened. A lot of people thought that when I got signed, I started deviating.

No. Life was tough in Benin. I’m not that guy to ask the people in the church to pay me because I’m doing God’s work.

Right there in Benin, I started going to competitions, going to bars, lounges, political rallies; just trying to get on the stage and hold a microphone, to at least get sprayed some money to come back home and feed my family, because we were going through tough times.

I lost my father and brother and I needed to come through for my family. Now, I felt like that’s where I started spacing out; little by little until I just exiled.”

Rema revealed that the transition was weird for him and his mum but he was unable to convince the latter about his choice.

“It was weird for me and most especially for my mum because she was well known in the church. I didn’t do much explaining. I just told her to trust me,”