Singing as second nature

BY BISI ALABI WILLIAMS
DOOWESE Gaadi is a 400 level Industrial Microbiology student of the University of Jos. She had wanted to be a medical doctor, a profession whose work ethic and dress sense she fancied. However, she couldn’t get into the department, so, she opted for Industrial Micro Biology.
Doowese, who started singing at 10, hardly miss any opportunity to show off her good voice. She says, “singing comes naturally to me. It is part of me. It’s not just a gift, a hobby or an art, but my love. I enjoy doing live performance with top artistes such as Ceecee Winans, and Kirk Franklyn among others that have made name in music, and impacted on the lives of many youths.”
Her playing different kinds of music such as gospel, R and B, Hip-pop and reggae shows the depth of her passion. But that’s only one aspect of Doowese. She is into acting as well as dancing.
“For me, it’s entertainment all the way. I try to excel in all I do. So, I always put in it my best. And that’s me. Dance is an art, as acting is. It depends on how you are looking at it. But all is about the body, and how you use it. Whether it is dancing or acting, you are communicating. You are sending a message across, and your message has to be good and clear for it to be understood,” she says.
The Unijos student says, “I always looked forward to winning prizes for dancing any time I attend birthday parties. I always stand out at parties because I learn every latest dancing step in town just to keep up with the trend and display them at parties. There was ‘galala’, ‘Petra’, and ‘flex’among others. I was that kind of a little girl.”
As she grew older, she lost track of dancing the way she used to, in her younger days. “I now dance only in the church and in my room,” she smiles.

HOWEVER, her love for the arts led her into a talent hunt show in Jos called Project 33, which aims at fishing out talented young people in singing, dancing, script writing and playing of instruments.
In the show, the contestants come together to watch a stage performance and then, write a script as well as songs that will go with the story line. They are also expected to learn the dance steps that will go with the written songs. It was here that she showed her versatility.
The lady, who started her acting career at the Air Force Secondary School, Ikeja, says, “I counsel a lot of young people. I talk to them about building healthy relationships, following their dreams, and being all they want to be in life. I believe that young people are like virgin lands waiting to be explored or discovered. So, many of them have affections and dreams for the future, but they don’t know or understand how to channel them aright.”
Her parents have helped to channel her dreams. “They are my super models, especially my mum who has always believed in me. She made my dream of waxing my songs a reality. My first CD came out beautifully because of her tireless support,” she retorts.
As a youth counsellor, Doowese tells the young ones never to give up easily and to tilt their behaviour towards what they want to be.
In her words, “many great people have succeeded not necessarily because they had never failed, but because someone believed in them, which motivated them to greater heights.”
She adds, “many dreams, hopes and aspirations are long dead and buried because many failed to believe in themselves or have someone to encourage them. The person closest to you is the one that can easily recognise your potentials as well as your fears, and inadequacies. You can be whatever you want to be in life, only believe and work towards it.”
One aspect of hers that she hopes to develop is modelling. She says: “People tell me, I have what it takes to be a good model; fine face, good legs, great body, and a good head. I think it’s true; and I want to give it a try.”