Ikponmwosa Ebengho
400-level Medicine & Surgery
University of Ibadan
Hello, Dr Lioness. Thank you for accepting this interview. I really admire your craft, having listened to the albums, Pride of CilQ, and Wish You Were Here; my favourite track is Dream. Through this discussion, we hope to enlighten medical students on the possibility of merging the practice of medicine with other professions.
When did you decide to get into music? What was the trigger point, if I may call it that?
It was, probably, when I wrote the song, Dreams. Actually, a bit later, when I really thought of it as more than just a hobby. I began doing right in terms of marketing myself and getting out there. Everything that I had accomplished with music and the way it made me feel was just something that I enjoyed so much. I could not see my days without making music, so it was not necessarily a point in time. I guess it was just a feeling.
What kind of arenas or festivals would you like to perform in?
Umm, I don’t know. My next aspiration is probably performing in Detty rave. I have been to Ghana, and I really did enjoy it there—the energy was amazing and the people, so accepting. I have performed in Malawi, at the Lake of Stars Festival, and that was also really heartwarming; so any African country that has a festival would do—I am not really picky—but Detty rave must be one of them.
Who are your favourite rappers of all time?
Probably has to be Kendrick Lamar. I really love Lil’ Kim and Left Eye as well, and Jay-Z is also at the top of the list.
And which African legend do you admire in the music industry?
Brenda Fassie. I think she was one of the artistes that came out and were just unapologetic with their sound and style. She had what she wanted people to think of her and then get from her music and the whole brand that was Brenda Fassie. I believe she opened a lot of doors for similar acts like Moonchild Sanelly and Busiswa, and I think they really also idolize her, having seen the similarities. And basically, that and even the references in my music is just about being authentic and feminist.
Which is your most favourite musical instrument? Why?
The harp. I love calming and quiet music, and I think it is just so powerful, calming, and centring. So it has to be the harp.
That is interesting… What would your dream feature be?
I don’t particularly have one yet but probably something with Burna Boy, Wizkid, or Davido. They’ll happen soon enough.
Are there any brands you would you love to work with?
I think one brand that I would love to work with is Garnier, MAC, or any skincare product brand. I mean, I am a huge, huge, huge, believer of good skin, if that even makes sense. I would love to show off my skin, and give hope to women having such a hassle with clearing their skin—actually dedicating myself to a product that caters to that because a lot of them do not really care, for your skin type, etc.
How has it been thus far—being famous, that is? What have you done with the newly-found wealth and fame? Has it affected your lives and those of the people around you?
I don’t really regard myself as somebody famous. I think I have really just redirected my wealth into my music and becoming better as an artiste. And my fame I have definitely used to inspire a lot of professionals with love for music or creative arts. So I’m really happy to have the influence I do on those who have a sort of dual affection—love for two opposing things.
And I think that the hardest part was adjusting because I am shy and, at the same time, outspoken. It was a lot to have many people know about my life—who I was dating, what I was doing, what my favourite colour was—to be seen around, trying to take pictures. It was a bit of an adjustment phase, but I got used to it.
Have you ever gone through Music Director’s Block? How did you overcome it?
I go through that often, and I think that the most important thing for me is leaving the music—like just not touching it, understanding that it does not want to talk to me, so I just let it be and try again maybe after two days or so. Usually, it comes back to me. Yes, I just leave it; I don’t force it.
Your first album was in 2018, and the second in 2020. Did you take a break in 2019?
I didn’t take a break per se. I was busy travelling, doing shows, and working on the second album. Two years is a pretty short time to release two albums, so I definitely didn’t take a break. I was really working on myself, my brand, and my sound.
Amazing. Who would you consider your favourite singers of all time?
My favourite singer of all time has to be Michael Jackson. I think it was just the impact he had on me when we were younger—how he really changed music, made timeless music, and was so meticulous and specific with himself. He was just amazing really. I remember crying when he passed away; that was one of the celebrity deaths that really shook me because I love Michael Jackson. There is a song of his—an angel was descending into the ground, holding Michael—I remember it always used to play on our local TV station, and it was so beautiful it actually made me want to cry.
How did you combine medical school with music?
Okay. I finished medical school, I am a doctor, and I am doing an internship now. I was always pushing myself as a musician, always doing music—I still do—and it was very hard. I was tired most of the time, and I struggled, even with sleep. But I grew up in a household where hard work was the only type of work accepted, so making music was not much of a burden. Besides, I loved it more than I did med school, and I think that any student in med school can relate. Anyway, here we are—that’s all that matters—and I am a testimony that it can happen.
What is your advice to medical students interested in having a music career? In your experience, is there a right time to start? How do they go about it?
I think my advice to medical students is this: just do what you love because then, you will love what you do. And when you do, it is not a burden anymore. There isn’t necessarily the right time to start; I think it just matters that you are consistent, that you do not give up. You just keep on trying, surprising yourself, and surpassing your limits and aspirations.
With music, what do you hope to achieve? How far do you want to go?
With music, it’s the limit. I mean, I do not think a time will come when I say that’s enough. It is a little bit addictive because it is a passion of mine, and I understand that that means you got a very different level—that’s what I have come to learn. So, I want to go as far as I desire and be an idol for African artistes.
I don’t want to place a label on your craft—it is unrealistic to expect people to see you as you see yourself—so please, what message and legacy do you want your work to be known for?
I just want to be able to inspire young girls and women to know what they want, to be sure of what they want, and go for it; and to inspire the LGBTQIA+. My overall message is just to really be you—know yourself unequivocally and work at being the best version of yourself.
I think authenticity was a very important character trait that I had to have to be the Lioness I am today. It was difficult in the beginning to have all these influences and trying to copy something because someone else was doing it and got it right. Our journies are all different and being yourself is a beautiful journey of discovery—unlocking many different levels of yourself. I want to be known for hard work—it always pays off.
If you could only have 3 albums on your device for the rest of your life, what would they be?
All would probably have to be Michael Jackson’s—any of his albums.
What was your favourite exam/course in medical school, and why?
LOL. I had no favourite exam, I’m sorry, but I do enjoy psychiatry and anaesthesia.
Where did you obtain your medical training? And how was it for you?
I got my medical training and degree in a newly established institution in Namibia. Since it was very new to everybody, we really tried to make it work. It was so very difficult but very enlightening as well, and it just really serves to test you—to see how far your mind, and will, will take you.
In this era of the pandemic, could you tell us what you presently do as a doctor?
I think this has shown me that medicine is not as consistent as I had thought it would be. It really always changes. There are going to be a lot of instances where we are presented with new unknown illnesses. It is exciting and also nerve-wracking because it does test your skill and ability to cure and heal. It’s quite a heavy burden, or rather a duty and an obligation. I am an intern, so I’m rotating through all the disciplines of medicine.
Was medicine something you really wanted to do from the outset? Was it always medicine and music, or did one lead to the other?
I always wanted to make music. I think medicine was one of the things that just came along because I was fresh out of high school and had to do something substantial. My mother was a lawyer, a doctor in law, and my father was a doctor in human resources, so I had a bit of academic pressure, but it was good pressure. Music was always my first option. I decided to study medicine because I have always been so helpful, dedicated to helping others. I see it as my contribution as a human to my society.
How far along the medical line do you intend to go? Any plans for residency and specialization?
I don’t know at this moment. I’m really just trying to get through the internship, but I think about that. I still have about three or four disciplines to go through, but as I have mentioned, I do like anaesthesia so it is probably something I’ll be looking into. That and psychiatry—I think the human mind is something very intricate and beautiful to learn about.
How have you been able to effectively live in the two worlds—of medicine and music? Do they perhaps meet somewhere?
With sound therapy probably, but I don’t think that you would have any sort of… I mean, music is therapy, to be honest. It heals, and a lot of people say music saved their lives. In essence, I think that is where the two meet.
P. S.
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