Ayor Fred Lucky is the Managing Director of Planabobo Music Studio a subsidiary of Abobo Warehouse. Aside his music studio, he manages a communications outfit, sells electronics and spare parts. He has always dreamt of owning a music studio from childhood, Lucky speaks with JOY NGWOLO on his passions.
Managing Director
Planabobo Music Studio
What made you pick interest in music?
I have always loved music and sounds ever since I was a child and when I discovered that most young Nigerians needed a platform to showcase their talents, I saw it as an opportunity to help make their dreams come true and also set up a studio where they can record their songs.
So how did you prepare yourself to set up your own studio?
There is a friend of mine who is into music as well, we talked so much about what it would take to start a studio, we exchanged ideas and planned together, and after a year, I was ready to set up my own studio.
So, I put together a team of producers, song writers and sound engineers. We not only help people record songs, we also guide them on how to arrange their songs to make them more marketable.
Some people believe that when you operate different businesses, you are not focused. What is your take on this?
It is good to have multiple streams of income but it depends on the mindset and capacity of the person involved. While some people prefer salaried jobs, some others prefer entrepreneurship. It all has to do with one’s mindset.
Again, it also depends on the capacity of the person involved because sometimes running different accounts for different businesses could be tasking. Anyone who wants to embark on a journey like this, should be willing to make sacrifices, even if it means losing sleep. However, it is not something that can be done single-handedly, you need a team to execute the plan.
What makes Abobo Studio standout?
Unlike other studios who only record music for people, here, we promote the artiste. Anybody coming in here to record a piece of song also wants to make money, we help the person make some money.
I know some top names in the industry, so I try to connect the artistes to such people.
Have you had any terrible recording experiences over the years?
Yes. Sometimes, people give the impression that they can sing but when they get into the studio, you discover that they do not have the talent. A guy once approached me, telling me that he could sing, so I decided to give him a try since he had the physique of an artiste but he was singing fluke. But he was funny sort of guy. So I advised him to go into comedy. If you want to be in the entertainment industry, you have to know your area of strength whether music, comedy or film.
So do you support upcoming artistes even when they don’t have the money to start off?
Because I am running a business, I don’t record songs for people if they do not have any money to give. But if they have something, I can still support them by creating avenues for them to perform on different platforms that I have access to. I could connaect them to some celebrities who can promote them as well.
Based on your experience living in a foreign country, is there any difference between how we run our music business here and how it is run over there?
There is a difference in the mentality of a Nigerian who has travelled abroad and the one who has never left the shores of Nigeria. In other countries, artistes consider the masses while composing songs and also build business relationships, but here in Nigeria, a lot of people sing whatever they like and they are only after the money.
Nowadays, there are pieces of software that can aid one record his songs without visiting a studio. Do you think that with this, music studios will someday go extinct?
I believe that instead of posing a threat, it will actually help us do our work better. Even at that, we need to find a way of fusing with technology such that even with technology, we can still play vital roles in the industry.
What are the factors that help one sustain a business?
Planning is very important. When I have a dream, I make plans and save money towards achieving it. Resilience also helps in business because when you try something and it does not work out, you should not give up easily, go back to your drawing board, learn from your mistakes and keep going.
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