So much has filled the air, the net, our ears and our eyes about Goldie. No thanks to the Social Media world. See what i found about Goldie by identical. Enjoy their well researched docu on Goldie Susan OluwaBimpe Harvey.
In the wake of the tragic news that recently hit the Nigerian Music
industry, with the death of Goldie Harvey, HHW has here, the life and
time of Goldie. The Headies 2011 Nominee for ‘Best Collabo’ and ‘Best
Music Video’ for hit single; “You Know It” was announced dead on
Thursday, February 14, 2013.
PROFILE OF SUSAN OLUWABIMPE ‘GOLDIE’ HARVEY
Growing up in a family where music was virtually the only bright spot
in a tripartite existence that revolved round home, school and church,
it did not come as much surprise that Susan Oluwabimpe Harvey now known
as Goldie chose to be a singer, songwriter and performer.
If it was to give vent to a childhood social denial, available
indices indicate that Goldie is making a resounding success of her
career choice. If it was to prove to her hitherto unbending dad that her
sometimes rebellious streak as a teen was just a quest for her true
essence, she has equally succeeded. And everybody must indeed be very
proud of this young lady because less than five years into her musical
odyssey, the crown of Nigeria’s nonpareil pop diva now nestles snugly on
her golden mane.
Since her emergence onto the pop culture radar a few years ago,
Goldie has cut large swaths though the fields of musical
accomplishments; exemplifying a special conception of musical heroine
who can say or show anything while providing a view of the bold,
confrontational and liberated woman. Colourful and cerebral, Goldie’s
musical strength and depth, sensuality and serenity have appropriated
her as the high water mark that other female singers have to live up to.
Add to that mix the fact that the multiple awards-winning singer has
created a smouldering, public persona that borders on the eccentric and
eclectic, otherwise creative and precise, but engaging enough to keep
you talking about her. Despite the mixed reactions to her musical style
and outré outlook, Goldie has fitted perfectly into the role of
Nigeria’s most consistent female performer of the moment.
EARLY LIFE
Indeed, in the case of talent and passion, the apple does not fall
too far away from the tree. Goldie was born In the early 80s to very
educated and successful parents – her mum, late Mrs. Olabisi Betty from
the illustrious Olaiya family in Ijebu, Ogun State was a former managing
director in a bank, while her dad, a native of Ikole-Ekiti, Ekiti
State, also retired as a director in a new generation bank. He is now
into full time clerical works in Lagos. The first of four kids, Goldie’s
education began at the Green Springs Montessori Primary School and then
St. John’s College, Palm Grove, Lagos where Christian Religious
Knowledge, she said, was her favourite subject because she didn’t have
to study too hard to pass it. In fact, by the age of 10, she already
knew so many bible verses that belied her age.
She recalled, “My childhood was very interesting but regimented. My
Dad was a leader in church and very active too while my mum used to lead
the choir. So, as their first child, I took very active roles in all
church activities – drama, choir, bible classes and so on. Church was
the only social life we had. On Mondays, we went for bible classes;
Wednesdays were for prayer meetings and then one Friday in a month, we
went for vigil. I never had toys or friends because my father thought
they would lead me astray.” Thus, her mum was her closest friend.
However, the bond that held mother and daughter together snapped
irretrievably in 1994.
LOSING HER MUM
Goldie described her mum as a woman of high intellectual and moral
values. “She was the first to have a scholarship in her family. She was
an avid reader and had a lot of certificates and degrees.” Every night,
when every other person had gone to bed, Goldie and her mum would stay
up chit-chatting and watching television. She was the only friend Goldie
had. But she died too soon after a long-drawn battle with cancer,
leaving behind four kids. “It was a traumatic experience for me
especially because it was like losing my only friend and confidant. I
cried bitterly and even up till now, over a decade later, the pain of
her demise has not left me.” Goldie is however consoled that she now has
another mum in her step-mother who she describes as God-sent.
FORAY INTO MUSIC
A prodigious kid with a strong flair for the arts and everything
creative, Goldie recalled drawing sketches of anything that caught her
fancy but whenever her dad saw her drawing, he would tear it, asking
rather erroneously how many people have achieved outstanding success in
arts. This however did not deter the blithely ambitious young lady from
wanting to give vent to her dreams because like the cliché goes, music
expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent.
Goldie had found music through the prism of divas like Celine Dion,
Mariah Carey and Toni Braxton. And even at that age, she was already
learning the style and nuances of pop, even emulating Braxton’s style of
keeping her side burns oiled.
At that time too, it had become pretty obvious that Goldie was an
embryonic diva. “I’d been flirting with music all my life. I don’t
remember exactly how old but I was incredibly young when I knew that I’d
go into some form of entertainment. Everybody who knew me back then
knew that I could sing because I was always singing in school or church;
I’ve always had that artistic flair.” So, when she got to the UK where
she had been admitted to study Business Management at the University of
Sunderland, she and a couple of friends formed an informal group which
performed for friends and family. The group even did a couple of demos
which never really made it out.
GOING PROFESSIONAL
Interestingly, Goldie’s return to Nigeria in the mid-2000s did not
quite signal an immediate take-off for her career. Rather, she
concentrated on building her date-reminder services business. In the
course of this, she needed to do a jingle and was introduced to Mani of
Cool FM who bowled her over with his production aplomb. They talked
about music and what they’d like to achieve. The young lady evinced
unadulterated passion and determination which prompted Mani to introduce
her to industry players. Then, she met renowned producer, OJB Jezreel
who would produce her first single, Komole. This was followed by three
other singles Spin Me, Nothing has Changed, and Shift, which all formed
part of her compilation CD. Since then, there has been no stopping her.
Through the turbulence, drudgery and seeming imperviousness of the music
industry, Goldie held her own, talent for talent, and creativity for
creativity. After a tentative management deal in 2009, Goldie was signed
on to Nigeria’s foremost music label, Kennis Music in 2010.
A few months later, she released her debut album, Gold, which given
Nigerians’ apathy towards pop music, has been a critical success. The
album exudes the audacity and flamboyance of Goldie, and has spewed a
couple of provocative, smart, and infectious videos; You Know It,
JawoJawo and DTMB (Don’t Touch My Body) The 3 songs are now certified
street anthems with increasing followership. “For me, the clothing, the
props, and the creative direction must be properly coordinated because I
want my fans to have very specific imagery in their head when they’re
listening to the music and watching the accompanying video.” Continuing,
she says, “Entertainment as a whole has gone visual. The best way to
sell yourself and your music is to make a video… I will say for the
record though, that I love shooting music videos, that’s one of the
highlights of being in my profession; I like bringing my fantasies to
life. A good music video is just one of the many ways to do this.”
Little wonder, the video for ‘You Know it’ won the best female video at
the 2010 SoundCity Music Video Awards and also picked the award for best
use of costume at the Nigerian Music Video Awards; while DTMB picked up
best Afro Pop video at the 2011 Nmva’s.
TRIVIA
A movie buff and avid reader, when Goldie is not in the comfort of
her home, she is making good music at the Kennis Music Studio. Though a
nocturnal person, you can hardly find Goldie at Night clubs because she
believes in channelling such hours into creative engagements.
ACCOLADES
Goldie is an ambassador of Project Alert, a world renowned not for
profit organisation aimed at advocating Zero tolerance to all forms of
violence against women and young girls. This rare honour was bestowed
upon her after the president of the organisation saw all the charity
works she had been doing on her own.
Goldie has so far in the past year nabbed a total of ten (10 awards)
including Exquisite Lady of the year (ELOY) Best Female Artiste award
and City People Best Female Artiste of the year… She has also been
inducted as a Federal Celebrity Special Marshal alongside other notable
Nigerian Celebrities. The Law Students Society of the Obafemi Awolowo
University (O.A.U) recently issued her an Award for Musical Excellence
under the category of Best Female Artiste of the Year. She has also been
conferred a United Nations Youth Ambassador for Peace by the Federal
Government.
Having won all the major awards on the African continent, headlined
major events within and outside the continent, hosted sold-out tours,
Goldie is not just a name but a brand that have since carved a niche for
herself as a leading African Female pop Diva.
Goldie became the final celebrity to exit the BBA7 star game house in 2012 as the 3rd runner up.
The video for SAY MY NAME received BEST POP COSTUME at the Nigerian
Music Video Awards (NMVA) in December 2012. She was also honoured with a
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD at Top Naija music awards same month.
Queen G is currently working on a Continental-wide musical project
titled THE AFRICA INVASION ALBUM. The first 3 hits off the Naughty
Singles compilation; SKIBOBO featuring AY (Tanzania), MILIKI featuring
NAVIO (Uganda), and GIVE IT TO ME featuring J MARTINS (Nigeria), have
all recorded massive downloads worldwide. She also recently teamed up
with her best friend, OAP; Denrele Edun, for their reality show, True
Friendship.
May her gentle soul rest in peace.
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