Nigerian-born singer Salle is not just a musician; she’s a multi-disciplinary artist whose passions extend far beyond the realm of music, making her a vibrant fusion of creative expression.
From fashion to music, Salle’s journey into the spotlight began with a viral video showcasing her singing talent. However, she’s been deliberate in crafting the trajectory of her career, taking time to define the kind of artist she wants to become and the music she wants to create.
Despite the whirlwind of attention that followed her viral fame, Salle remains grounded and focused on her goals. She clarifies that the video was captured while she was working in her mother’s food shop, serving customers, dispelling misconceptions propagated on social media.
Reflecting on her journey, Salle acknowledges the challenges and mistakes she encountered along the way. However, by 2023, she had gained clarity about her artistic vision and was ready to embark on her musical journey with renewed determination.
“Now I am comfortable with putting out music that I like, that I am comfortable with,” she shares. “I finally got the right people on my side this time around,” she adds, emphasizing her newfound confidence and support system. With a sense of purpose and a team aligned with her vision, Salle is poised to make up for lost time and seize the opportunities that lie ahead.
But where did the creative bone come from?
“I always knew that I could sing, from a young age. I would sing in church, my friends used to compliment my voice but I just left it at that because my mother never took music seriously. I never used to take music seriously, and knowing that I can sing in church felt enough. I didn’t think much of it nor was it a career that I thought I needed to pursue,” she said.
But the creative urge was within her, leading her to at least try her hand in fashion. She studied the craft for 4-years at a fashion institution and has subsequently launched her own fashion line dubbed Magical Styles.
“I’ve been so big on fashion. I love looking good and like making someone else look good as well, and that’s something I’ve always been into.”
Growing up, the first born daughter describes herself as flexible and being an active child and it is within those many activities of working, learning new skills and just being a child that she discovered her singing voice.
Music found her, years later, in between all of life’s experiences and our own effort. Music found her. And embracing this talent and journey, she shares that she is interested in making conscious music and adds that she isn’t too fixated on the genre that: “tend to keep us in a box,” she said.
“After my discovery, that period was really overwhelming. I did not know who to trust, who was right for me even and because of that, I didn’t put out much music. Even the music that did make it out, I don’t feel like it should have been let out because that wasn’t me. I was under so much pressure.
“But now that I have found myself, I want to release evergreen, timeless music and something that if I hear 20 years from now, I’d still be proud of. Music that is here to stay.
“It is music that is intentional and conscious.”
She released her debut song, or rather her first song that she is confident in, dubbed Countdown.
“I don’t make music just for the sake of making music, but it is music that I can also relate to. ‘Been there, done that’ type vibe. I have never been a big fan of the many beliefs that we grew up believing, even as a child I used to doubt some things and question them. Growing up and having the experiences that I have had so far I believe there is another side to our beliefs that we haven’t explored.
“Icon, another song that I put out in the past year, is a realistic expression of how we should be allowed to feel every emotion. If I am tired, let me be. If I am sad, let me be sad. So it’s allowing people the space to feel and then pick themselves back up again. From Icon to Countdown and the many more that I will be putting out, is all intentional work,” adding that she has an EP ready for release, although she can’t put a definite time frame to it.
With how her journey has unfolded, Salle believes that everything in her life has turned out exactly how it was meant to.
“I believe in timing and how everything happens at the appointed time. I know now is my time, it is time for my music and for my brand. And although it is my time, I acknowledge that for everything to work out, there is a requirement of consistency and hard work, and for my creativity to flow for growth to happen,” she said.
