Gyal KessTimeOut with

Nigerian Model, Singer/ Songwriter, BeautyQueen,andEntrepreneurspeaks with Uncutxtra magazine presenter Chioma Ezeh @chiomaa_ezeh about life as a Nigerian artiste, her style of music, and dealing with rumours

A lot of people know you as gyal kess, but kindlytellusyourfullname.

MyfullnameisKessyIsong.

Okay, We know that you are a model, a public administrator, and a Beauty queen, and we’ll definitelytouchuponthat.Butfornow,let’stalk moreaboutyourmusic.

When did you know you wanted to do music, andwhendidyoudecidetofinallygoforit?

I have always loved good music, and I had a feeling that I was going to eventually go into it. So when the opportunity came for me to explore,Itookit.

Your style is quite different, with a unique sound. Has anyone ever told you, you sound like Cynthia Morgan? And what was your reaction?

Thankyou(laughs).Okay,Idon’tknowCynthia MorganpersonallybutIknowthatsheisagreat artist. People tell me that I sound like her a lot but I have noticed that the people that say this are mostly Nigerians and I think it’s because Cynthia Morgan is the only prominent female artist that is into the dancehall genre. But I definitelydonothaveaproblemwithit.

Whatwouldyousayinfluencedyourstyleofmusic?

I think it’s mostly my hometown, growing up in my state, a lot of people around me loved to listen to dancehall and reggae a lot so I picked up the vibe while growing up and continued riding hard.

Who are your favorite artistes?

They are a lot of them, but I love a whole lot of people (laughs). I love Kendrick Lamar, Buju, Rihanna, Beyoncé, and just a whole lot, I love music normally so anybody that gives me good vibes I move

But have you ever been with an artist that has given you a negative vibe?

Honestly, I don’t pay attention to negativity. I try to avoid it a whole lot, and it has really helped me

Which artist do you think you’ll never make a song with?

(Laughs)I don’t think there’s an artist I wouldn’t want to make a song with, if the person has good energy and a good vibe then why not.

You have performed at different events alongside notable artists, what would say you love most about performing?

Wow, it’s definitely the adrenaline rush. you know the kick you get when you take coffee, that’s the kind of feeling you get. It’s such a beautiful feeling.

What inspired your single ‘like that’ and did it exceed expectations?

My music generally is influenced by the people around me, my experiences, the things I read, and hear That’s where it came from. It wasalsomyfriend’sideology,soIsangaboutitanditdidprettywell.

Sodoyouhaveplansformoresongs?

Yea, butIdonotwanttosayanythingnowcosIdonotwanttoletthe catoutofthebag.Butsomethingamazingiscoming(laughs)

What do you think needs to be corrected in the Nigerian musicindustryASAP?

We need structure in the Nigerian music industry, It’s too scatteredinmyopinion. That’swhyanybodycanwakeuptosay“Iamamanager”orA and R and then when they test them with that they just don’t deliverandtheyendupeatingpeople'smoney

Ihavehadpeopleintheindustrythathaveexperiencedit,and it’sreallysad.

SoyouwonQueenofAsoto thatyouwontheMissTourism InternationalPageant,what likeforyou?

It was a beautiful experience beautiful ladies, and that plat meetamazingandprominent reallygreat

Was it something you had wanted to do or was it somethin justwantedtoexperience?

I love competition, I litera modeling,growingupitwasa modeling and then I switche pageantry and it just got to me So it’s definitely something that I have always wanted to do

You said your goal was to revivetheeducationalstructureinNigeria,wereyouableto dothat?

Whatandwhoinspiresyou?

Godbasicallyandthepreciousnessandthebeautyoflife inspiremealot

As a beautiful multi-talented queen, what rumors or stories have you heard about yourself that hurt you deeply,andhowdidyoudealwiththem?

Of course, there are timesI hear stuff about myselfandI just laugh out because I do not even know these things aboutmyownselfbutsomeoneelse‘sabiampass am dating somebody when I n seen the person before t I have also realized that it th the job There are billions ple all over the world and ybody has their opinion outdifferentthingssojustlet hemtalk ples of the rumors you have unnyenough,Ihaveneverhada celebrity crush oo (laughs). It’s funnybuttrue.

Who is your celebrity crush and what’s the most mbarrassing thing you have ver done to be noticed by oneyoulike?

Whoisyourfavoritepersononearth?

Yes,Iwasabletodosomethinginmyown capacity anditwas amazing. We constructed a dilapidated school in my hometownandacoupleofotherprojectshereandthere Ihaveheardaboutit,anditisdefinitelythere,butIhaven’thad suchexperiencesbecauseIhaveworkedwithagoodmanager ButIalsothinkit’snotjustthemodelingindustrybutalso the entertainmentindustry

We have heard some nasty stories about the modeling industry, as a model, did you ever experience it? And how wereyouabletohandleit?

I have a whole lot Honestly, I can’t mention just one person,theyaresomany.Ihavewonderfulpeopleinmy life I’ll advise that they keep hustling and pushing and they should always remember that the ball is in their court to doamazingthings

What’syouradviceforladieslikeyoutryingsohardto makeitwork?