Internet’s latest sensation, Samuel Adepoju aka Samuel Singh modestly claims that legendary songs can never be personalised or recreated by anyone, instead he believes that he merely sang the song he loved in a different way. His rendition of the Bhojpuri song, Lollipo Lagelu went viral earlier this month, after it was posted on his Facebook page. This has earned him more than a thousand YouTube subscribers and more 10,000 followers on Facebook, numbers which have not stopped increasing as of yet. The original, sung by Pawan Singh, might have made some of us cringe at the sleaziness of its lyrics, but Samuel certainly has given it a welcome makeover as a hip-hop remix with some cool beats. His Nigerian accent adds all the more to the charm of the song. Music for Samuel had been just a hobby, but overwhelmed by such a response, he wants to take it further and make it what he calls a “super hobby”.
Though, Samuel had been listening to Bollywood songs when he was toddler, it was in 2010, that he became interested in those songs, when he came to India seeking treatment for cancer in his wrist. Though he lost his left hand but that did not stop him from falling in love with India, its people, and it’s music. On his fascination with India’s cultural diversity, Samuel says, “Sometimes I feel like you need to live in India for 1000 years to understand all the cultures, the country possesses. It changes per family and per kilometre you travel. It’s beautiful.” At a time when there has been a recent spike in violence against the Nigerian residing in India, Samuel condemns the attacks but has not lost his love for India. “Violent attacks against my countrymen should be attributed to some wicked people who don’t even make up one per cent of the Indian population. All my Indian friends love me.”
In 2012, he decided to pursue his higher studies in India and during this period he had the opportunity to listen to regional songs, not just Bhojpuri but Punjabi as well. Samuel recollects that in college he used to perform rap songs by already established artists and he first performed the original Pawan Singh song at a cultural event in Suresh Gyan Vihar University in Jaipur. The response was amazing and other performances garnered a similar response. Thrilled by their acceptance and support, Samuel decided to do the cover which brought him in limelight. The singer has a cover of “Brown Rang” to his credit as well.
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Play on ‘sing’
His alias is a play on the word ‘sing’ as well as a deliberate choice to connect to his Indian friends. Samuel calls himself a Nigerian by birth and Indian by heart, and his work has been warmly received by people from across the two countries. His success lies in the fact that the familiarity with the song attracts Indians, while it is the connection with the voice that draws his Nigerian fans.
Samuel’s family has been very pleased and supportive of his work. In fact he records his songs at his brother’s house. His brother also juggles the roles of producer, backup singer and audio editor. Samuel on the other hand is in charge of editing the videos. Improving the video quality of his future covers is certainly in his plans and he is currently on the lookout for professional assistance for the same.
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The 26-year-old, shares that it is difficult to pick a favourite from among a multitude of amazing Indian artists but is openly vocal about his love for Rajinikanth. As he continues to explore his love for Indian music, he hopes to bring to Bollywood and Indian regional songs, Afro, dancehall, hip-hop and other beats from across various kinds of music. And if given a chance to work with Indian artists, he states that he would jump at the offer.
Samuel wants to immediately start working on his next project. Though there are a number of songs in consideration, “Lungi Dance” which was a Bollywood tribute to the Thalaiva seems to be his most likely choice. And as the internet reels in the shock of the onslaught of cringe-pop by Dinchak Pooja, Samuel Singh has come as a much awaited breath of fresh air, so people wait for more.