Ashionye Michelle Racah is a singer, actress, and a film producer. She started her career in music and later had stints in the popular Drama series, Tinsel. She also produced her own movie which won various awards. She spoke to ORUKPE NELSON about the joy of motherhood and other sundry issues.

What was the first thing you did when you came into the entertainment industry?

I started off as a radio presenter, months later I started off my career in music.

How did your journey in music start?

My music career started off in my father’s living room. I remember correctly that I started singing at the age of four. My mum was in the choir and she had an amazing voice. She was my first inspiration musically. As time went on, I met my former band members. Then we met my husband who became our record label boss and manager and signed us up. My first album was released in 2006.

You stopped singing or being in the public eye for a while. What actually happened?

I will not say that I stopped my career; I took a break when I got pregnant with my son and the whole experience of a first time pregnancy. I had the worst morning sickness ever which lasted for about four months. After the arrival of my son, I fell in love with him. I just couldn’t leave him with anybody so I sacrificed and took two years off to raise my son. I’m back in the scene now. I actually have two new singles that TY Mix produced. We are in the process of shooting a video for one of them.

How did your foray in movies begin?

I actually started acting in 2005. My first acting was in Doctors Quarters where I played a French girl. It was also an M-Net production. Tinsel was in 2009, I was only there for season two. I actually asked them to do something with my character because of the morning sickness situation. So they came up with the disappearance and she was never found. It was a good experience. Aside from drama series, I also produced my first film, ‘Journey to Self’. I also wrote the screen play of that film. I studied Mass Communication and majored in Broadcasting. Ever since I was a kid I had flair for writing.

Did ‘Journey to Self’ win any award?

Actually the movie won three awards. They are AMVCA 2013, BON awards and Nollywood Movies Award. We had twenty one nominations for that movie and I didn’t put in for all the awards going in that year. People are still watching the movies and they are waiting for the DVD.

You have talents in both music and movies, which one takes the upper hand?

Music is my passion. Music is my religion after Christianity. Also my passion for movies has grown. They are two different things. You can express yourself through music personally but through film, you express yourself as somebody else. I will say I love both of them but music takes the lead. When I write my song, I speak from my heart.

You are obviously pregnant with your second child; wouldn’t that put things on hold again?

No, this pregnancy is different. I have been there before so it is not like the first time. This pregnancy will not affect my work this time around. I am on top of my game this time around.

What is your fashion style?

I am more of a casual person. I love jeans and T-shirts.

If you are going for a red carpet event, are you going to wear jeans?

There are different outfits for different occasions. If it’s a red carpet event like the AMVCA I attended recently, I wore a lovely red dress that gave me the freedom and allowed my bump to breath. So I can’t turn up in a pair of jeans. But if it is a more laid back event, then I can wear jeans and tuck in the shirt and wear a nice pair of heels and a nice handbag to go with it.

What is your favourite fashion item?

That will be my lip gloss. I don t like dry chapped lips. So I always make sure my lip gloss is in my bag where ever I go.

What is your signature perfume?

It will be a mix of mine called Romance by Ashionye which I lunched into the market in 2006. I mixed it with Elizabeth Arden’s Fifth Avenue. I love Elizabeth Arden Fifth Avenue. I have been using it for a very long time.

How is the perfume line doing in the market?

It is doing well and we are making some kind of money from there. That is why I say I am a business woman.

What is your beauty routine?

Right now with pregnancy I have a lot of breakouts. Basically I try to wash my face as many times as possible. I don’t apply makeup if I am not going anywhere to let my face breathe. I go for my facials every two weeks in a month to help with the breakout. I use my facial wipe and toner. I use a night cream at night and day cream during the day.

You have been carrying your natural hair for how long now?

I have been going natural for two years and four months now. I just twist it or do the corn rows. I have natural grey hair. I had grey hair since I was in primary school. As I grew older, it became more all over my hair.

You got married 2009, how did you meet your husband?

We met when my musical group was introduced to him by a friend, Adrian Woods who was then the CEO of MTN. Along the line we became friends. We hit it off immediately, nobody asked anybody out. It just happened. I guess it was meant to happen. We have been together for fifteen years. We will be married for six years this year.

How do you keep the marriage working?

We tolerate each other. If we don’t, then we can’t live with each other. I didn’t marry him because I was looking for Mr. Right and the same goes for him. We manage our flaws. We also communicate. We work together and whatever situation, we put our heads together as friends to tackle it. We were friends before we got married.

How do you manage your marriage with the scandals associated with you in the media?

I have never been a controversial person. Even before I got married, I have heard misconceptions about people saying I called myself Beyoncé of Nigeria. I never once did, it was the press that started that Beyoncé of Nigeria issue. For years, people have cursed me out because of it. Well, people are allowed to believe what they want. So I will not go out and start correcting people’s beliefs. But then, I would rather go with what my family thinks than what outsiders think about me. The most important people in my life are my family.

You married a man outside your race. How do you handle the interracial differences?

My husband is British but he has a lot of mix blood. My husband is not an average white guy. He was born in Kano and speaks fluent Hausa. His family has been in Nigeria for a hundred years. His generation has been here that long. He understands some of our cultures and values. For me I don’t see colour and he does not see colour as well. My parents doesn’t see colour; if not my father would not have agreed for me to marry him. His family is fine with me as well. They don t see colour, I call his family the United Nations because he has relatives from different parts of the world.

What drives you and your life philosophy?

I’m driven by God and my family. My philosophy is to live life one day at a time.

What has motherhood done for you?

It has matured me. Before I had him, even when I was married, everything was about me. Then Ashioma, my son comes along and the world changed. The world became more colourful for me. He has been a source of happiness. My relationship with my son is something else. It is a bond that cannot be broken. He is more talented than we his parents. He sings, acts and he can play the guitar and keyboard very well even at four. He has musical parents and has picked up our talents.