Blessing Offor on ‘My Tribe’ and Coca Cola Success
By: Steff Willis
Blessing Offor isn’t trying to write for commercial success and yet the hits keep coming.
His debut full-length album, My Tribe, is a reflection of his international upbringing and all the challenges and joys along the way.
The “Brighter Days” single has been featured on Grey’s Anatomy, American Idol, The Resident and Keeping Up With The Kardashians and the title track, My Tribe, is already a huge success being featured on a Global Coca-cola Broadcast TV Campaign.
In an interview with Blessing Offor he chatted about how despite the success, he’s simply focussed on writing great music.
“I was taught that if you chase the radio then you’re doing it wrong. If you chase a commercial, then you’re doing it wrong” said Blessing.
“I want this song to be a celebration of all the people in my life but in anybody’s life that you’re happy, comfortable and at home with”.
“It was one of those things where had we had tried to plan it, we would have done it so differently… cos we would have been thinking too much about Coca Cola. That’s not the point. You just have to write a song and let it end up where it will.”
Blessing left Nigeria at just six-years-old to live with his uncle in the United States to receive better medical care for the glaucoma, leaving him blind in one eye. He lost sight in the other eye at ten-years-old due to a water gun accident but that hasn’t held Blessing back.
Life hasn’t been easy for Blessing but he’s one of the most optimistic and joyful people you’ll ever meet.
“Being blind is not the forefront pressing issue on my mind. You just live life” said Blessing.
“You can either choose to participate in it [life] or not. I don’t have it in me not to participate in life, life is so good.”
From an early age and despite being blind, Blessing knew he was going to have a career in music.
“As a kid I always knew I was going to play music. Not because I thought I was going to be famous but because I was happy at the piano when nobody knew who I was.
“I said to God, ‘I’ll be a piano teacher, I’ll write jingles as long as all I have to do is play music, I’ll be happy’.
“All of this is icing on the cake, honestly.”
My Tribe is out now.
Article supplied with thanks to 96five.
Feature image: Supplied
