Born on 19th April 1988, Simisola Bolatito Ogunleye is one of the top female arts in Nigeria. Since breaking into the music industry in 2008 she has remained on top of her game, setting new standards and exceeding personal bests. You probably know a lot about her. Here are five little-known facts about Simi. “Lie to me, if the truth will break my heart o”. This is perhaps Simi’s most philosophical lines ever. One we do not promise to keep in this article.
1. She was a gospel musician
Simi, like many Nigerian artistes began singing in the church choir. Unlike many artistes, however, Simi went into full gospel music. She was a member of a singing group in her church Outstanding Music Group styled Outstandin’. She didn’t just do gospel with singles; she released a full album on the genre. She released Ogaju in 2008. She did this album solo. This album included a lot of songs done in her native Yoruba language. “Ara Ile”, “Iya Temi” and “Ogaju” are the notable tracks in the album.
Asked in a Punch in 2016 interview why she went mainstream, Simi said she wanted “a broader purview”. She also cited money as motivation. Her faith in God hasn’t wavered. Will Simi ever do gospel again? She is clear about this. “I don’t see myself doing gospel music again.”
2. Simi was largely raised by a single mother
Her parents separated when she was aged nine. She left with her mother and only went to visit her father during the weekends. While this hurt the then tomboy seeing other children and their parents, it thought the vocalist that life was no bed of roses, and, according to her, this made her grow up fast, gave her a mature mind in a tender age and gave her the resolve to work very hard while prepared for the worst. A break such as this could break many children, but Simi came out of it a famous musician.
She admits that her mother played the very important role of guide from the time she left her father’s roof through to her finishing the university (Covenant University) where she studied Mass Communication. Her mother remains her role model, alongside her Pastor Sam Adeyemi.
3. She wrote her first song aged 10
Simi began singing at eight. She wrote her first song at ten. There is, however, little or no record about this track. It might have been included in her Oguja Album, it might have been lost. Simi has repeatedly mentioned this feat in interviews. If the song got lost, it is a shame, a real loss; that, however, does not take away the experience, painting her in a stronger light since this came out just a year after her parents separated.
4. She misled the whole world about Adekunle Gold
Simi got married to Adekunle Gold in January 2019. Before this, the couple has been dating for five years. Five years and no one had a clue.
See facts about Boosty Cossy
When asked earlier about the two men most close to her, Simi insisted that she had a strong working relationship with Falz and Adekunle Gold. In Fact, such was the issue that many believed Falz had more claim on Simi than Gold. In an interview with Channels in 2015, Falz said that they were not dating but that “You never know what the future holds. I will just leave it there.”
When the future came, it wasn’t Falz.
But Gold, too, was playing the game of denial. He admitted that she was his partner, musically, and that she was a strong influence on his art, even to the extent of helping to define his genre, mixing his songs and giving a nod before he released his songs. And that that was where it ended. She helped him to mix his songs. We should have seen through this clue–sweet songs, with strong hand tampering on slim back.
See facts about sexy Rae
Simi, herself, went as far as telling Punch Newspaper that she is in a relationship with someone NOT in the music industry, someone who understands her relationships with Falz and Adekunle Gold for what they are.
5. Simi is a mother
In June 2020, Simi gave birth to a baby girl they named Adejare. Making the announcement on Social Media, her husband, Adekunle Gold wrote: “I’m obsessed with all her expressions; you need to see her stank face – it’s hilarious. I have never seen any baby this beautiful. I mean it. My baby came out with a head full of hair like mine and the most beautiful face I’ve ever seen like Simi. Wow.”
Doesn’t read like great literature. Happiness sometimes doesn’t come out musical.