By: Odeh Favour
Nigerian singer-songwriter and performer, Ifechukwu Mercy Michael, popular as Ifé, has revealed why she chose the path of folklore over mainstream pop trends.
The fast-rising Afro-Soul, Afrobeats, and alté artiste stated that her musical journey is driven by a deep spiritual connection rather than commercial market strategies.
Hailing from Umuawulu in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, the 28-year-old musician was born on November 29, 1997. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music and Performing Arts from Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, where she formally honed her skills in harmony, arrangement, and stagecraft.
Speaking during an intimate stage interview in Lagos, Ifé explained that her genre of music is rooted in spirit.
“I don’t know but I feel like it’s a spiritual pull. When I sit in my solitude and I’m trying to reach my inner temple, the only thing that makes sense to me is those records, like the vibrations and frequencies they were able to access,” she said.
Recalling a challenging period in her life, the multi-instrumentalist noted that classical highlife records proved to be her ultimate source of healing and strength.
“When I was going through a season in my life, it was their music that got me through it. They hit it home for me,” she added.
According to her, those timeless compositions form the bedrock of Igbo folklore highlife, drawing inspiration from the storytelling of Egwu Ekpili, the legendary Egedege of Theresa Onuorah, and the brass sounds of the late Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson.
She noted that although Rex Lawson was Kalabari, he rendered Igbo highlife immortal by combining indigenous rhythms with horns in classics like ‘Sawale’ and ‘Love Adure’, proving that folklore could be both spiritual and sophisticated.
Describing these traditional frequencies as vibrations that access mmuo (spirit) as recognized by ancient generations, Ifé emphasized her total commitment to artistic honesty over industry expectations.
“I also want to do what I like. I don’t want to do what everybody is doing. If I don’t like it, it’s not good enough for the world. But if I like it, it’s good enough to share. So it speaks to you first,” she declared.
She reaffirmed her stance on music production, adding, “I want to be honest with what I’m saying and what I’m singing.”
The singer, who plays the guitar, piano, vocals, native percussion, and the traditional Igbo thumb piano (Uba Aka), remains dedicated to blending Igbo proverbs, Alternative Pop, and Afrobeats drums to carry authentic folk-soul music from Umuawulu to the rest of the world.
