At the age of 12, Emoseh Angela Khamofu, now known as Bloody Civilian, started making beats and wrote her first song on a piece of tissue paper. This initial spark of interest quickly grew into a deep passion for music, leading her to remarkable success.
By the age of 25, Bloody, a Nigerian singer and songwriter, had released two EPs titled Anger Management and Anger Management: At Least We Tried, and had signed with 0270 Def Jam. Her song “Wake Up” featuring Rema is featured on the GRAMMY-nominated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack.
Bloody’s music uses her exceptional storytelling ability and lyrical skill to convey personal and societal struggles. Her stage name, Bloody Civilian, reflects the challenges faced by Nigerian citizens and serves as a tribute to a difficult period in her life. Born into a religious family in northern Nigeria, she later moved to pursue her musical career, first to the national capital, Abuja, and then to Lagos.
Reflecting on her journey, Bloody Civilian shared, “Growing up as a female in Nigeria is unnecessarily hard. It’s unnecessarily complicated, especially when you do something unconventional. I had to fight for a lot of the opportunities that I got.”
Prior to the 2024 GRAMMYs, Bloody Civilian discussed the challenges she faced as a female artist from a religious background, the struggle of financing her passion for music, and her experiences with production.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Starting your musical journey at such a young age must have been quite different from the traditional upbringing you had. What were some of the challenges you faced?
It was a tough process. Balancing music with household chores was difficult. As a Nigerian female, my experience was very different from that of my brothers. They had more freedom to explore various skills, while I had to fight for every opportunity to pursue music.
Your father was a musician. Did that influence your decision to pursue a career in music?
While my father’s musical background may have seemed like an influence, being a male meant he faced fewer obstacles in pursuing his passion. In contrast, I had to work hard for the opportunities I had. I had to take on various entrepreneurial ventures to raise funds for equipment, due to the lack of financial support.
Your parents didn’t initially support your musical aspirations financially. How did they react to your dedication to music?
Initially, they were unsure about my pursuit. However, as they started to see my progress and growing popularity, their perspective changed. It was a tough journey, especially in terms of production and beat making, which they struggled to understand. Despite the initial doubts, they eventually began to see the value in my determination.
How did you transition from producing for others to becoming an artist yourself?
I initially wrote songs with the intention of selling them to other artists. However, the way I arranged the tracks led people to encourage me to pursue a career as a solo artist. Although I had envisioned becoming a writer-producer, the recognition my work received in Lagos pushed me toward an artist’s path. The support of influential women in the industry played a significant role in my journey.
How did you get signed to 0270 Def Jam?
I was signed based on a demo tape that I had created intending to sell the songs to other artists. The unique style and quality of the tracks led people to recognize me as an artist. Ultimately, it was the encouragement and support of influential women in the music scene that helped me secure my position.
In a recent interview, Nigerian music artist, Ayra Starr, shared her experience of how her life changed after sending demos to people in Lagos. She mentioned that pretty much everyone she sent it to was sending her offers, which was a turning point in her life. Ayra also talked about her journey in creating the song “Wake Up,” featured on the GRAMMY-nominated album, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” emphasizing the portrayal of women’s strength in the music.
She expressed her preference for producing over creating her own music, highlighting the significance of her production skills in shaping her artistry. When asked about the trend of Afrobeats artists breaking away from traditional labels and forming subgenres, she responded with a light-hearted laugh, expressing her appreciation for various Afro subgenres and emphasizing the importance of valuing different perspectives in music.
Discussing the cover art for her EP “Anger Management,” Ayra reflected on the changes in her life and mindset, noting that the depiction in the artwork represents her current state of happiness and excitement. She also mentioned her plans to remix the EP, indicating a positive and hopeful phase in her life.
The article concludes with a reference to the 2024 GRAMMY Nominations.
