When Lady Donli picks up my FaceTime call, I am imminently put at ease by her gently confident energy and gorgeous smile. She seems like a woman who, despite the world feeling like it’s in tatters, knows what she wants. She has an innate self-assuredness that not only beams out of my iPhone screen, but is also evident in her eclectic music, her Instagram, and seemingly everything she touches. Lady Donli wants to use her music to uplift and inspire us all, and don’t we need it right now.

Hey Lady Donli, how are you doing? How’s your day been?

I’m doing pretty good! I just finished recording a song, so I’m hyped off that energy. I really like the song (for now).

So, question of the moment; Where are you quarantining and how is it going?

Right now, I’m in Toronto. Some days are better than others, some are worse but I’m trying to hang in there. Constantly keeping myself motivated and trying to stick to some form of a routine.

Is this where you normally live?

No, but I don’t normally live anywhere. I move around a lot. I don’t think I’ve been in any city for longer than 3 months in the past 4 years.

How has Covid-19 affected your life? Have there been positives and negatives? I personally am finding myself feeling very grateful to have this time as an opportunity to focus on learning and creating, but it’s also been tough on my mental health.

Honestly same! I’m happy I get to just sit down and think and re-prioritise but it’s also really hard on some days. I’ve started meditating a lot. I’ve meditated for about 41 days straight now and I’ve found that it really helps me stay grounded, especially on the rough days. I’m really missing my family though; I wish I was stuck with them in Abuja because that way I’d get to spend time with them. I’m hardly ever back home in Abuja since I started touring and doing music full time and it really sucks, but regardless, I feel really good. I’m exercising more, eating better and practicing. I feel like a better musician now.

It must be pretty hard for a musician right now, as touring and performing, as well as being in the studio, is such a huge part of your job. Are you missing it or is this a good refresh?

This is a great refresh. I just got a new laptop, so I’ve been recording myself again and I love it. I don’t think I’ve ever been this inspired, I’ve been surprising myself with the music I’m making and that feels great. What’s best for me right now is that I don’t feel any pressure. There’s nothing like creating without pressure, everything is just free flowing. I’m living in the moment and enjoying it.

How would you describe your music?

Well I wouldn’t haha. I usually leave that to other people because I make so many things. I even get confused sometimes, but it’s a mixture of funk, R&B, jazz, afrobeat, soul. Yo, it’s like everything! You’d have to listen and then tell me.

How did you get into making music? And what does it mean to you?

There was never a time that I chose music… it sort of chose me. I’ve always enjoyed listening to music, writing music and performing. My earliest memory is performing a song at a school recital in nursery 1. It just always felt right to me and when I make music at my best, there’s no greater feeling. I’m truly happy. I’m truly grounded.

Your Instagram bio says, “PAN AFRICAN ROCKSTAR”, which I love by the way… I am constantly trying to find the perfect bio, lol. I understand that you’re Nigerian. Is Pan-Africanism and your African heritage an important part of your music and art?

Yes, it is! It wasn’t always but I’ve grown a lot and I’ve gone through so many rounds of self-discovery. Now I appreciate my heritage more than anything, I want people to know where I come from, where my music comes from. I want them intrigued enough to research about Nigeria, to research about Africa. I take great pride in my identity. Pan-Africanism really caught on to me and I spend most of my days reading about it, talking to people about it and just trying to expand my knowledge on the African continent. It’s very important to me.

You released your debut album Enjoy Your Life last year. How has this changed your life? Was it an empowering experience?

Probably one of the most empowering experiences of my life thus far! Life has changed so much for me, I’ve met so many new people, gotten on so many new stages, gained so many new fans. It’s been a whirlwind but it’s really just the beginning. I’m so happy with Enjoy Your Life because it’s really helped me grow a lot, it gave me a deeper understanding of music and culture, as I did a whole lot of research when I was working on it. I think it’s a body of work that will always make me happy, even when I inevitably outgrow it (which I sort of am right now).

I know your live shows are really upbeat and you encourage people to enjoy their life. What does this phrase mean to you, and what’s your vision of how it can influence your listeners lives?

Enjoy Your Life for me means living in the moment and trying not to let anxiety get the best of you. It’s also about sharing experiences with the people who you love and care for, it’s also about being open to new experiences. Taking the ups and downs of life. That’s why I encourage people to participate in my shows, I want them to leave feeling lighter and happier. I want them to leave having made a new friend because of the connection they might have shared during the performance. Those new experiences are so essential for growth!

I love your song “Corner” ft. VanJess & The Cavemen, and the music video is sick. I understand it was inspired by Nollywood, and explores the social struggle and questions gender roles, especially in African culture.

Yes! I think everybody expected me to make a fun video because the song was catching on so well. It was a fun song and there were a lot of expectations of what the video should be like. I hate conforming to the status quo, so I always knew I’d do my own thing. Luckily for me, I worked with a director who shared the same vision. I really just wanted to use this video to put a spotlight on certain issues that had stressed me out over the years. I knew a lot of people would be keen on watching the video, so I wanted to use it to spread important messages. Plus, I love old Nollywood. In my opinion, everything was top tier and paying homage to it seemed right.

What inspired your new song “Wonda Wonda”? How did the collab with Darkovibes come about?

“Wonda Wonda” was an easy song to record really. I thought about a relationship I had been in that stressed me out and I just started singing. It felt right, so I recorded it. On the Darkovibes collaboration, I had initially wanted to feature someone else (a Nigerian artiste) but it wasn’t really working out so Kuvie, the producer (a Ghanaian), suggested I worked with someone from Ghana. I’ve always wanted to work with Darko, we’re friends so I felt like it would be the perfect time. Sent him the song and he sent it back in like an hour.

I understand that you’ve been exploring your old music tastes and doing a deep dive into some early 2000s culture. Do you have some favourite artist from this era? Who is your ultimate 2000s icon?

My ultimate 2000s icon right now is Ashanti. I love her so much and she contributed to some of my favourite songs ever.

Finally, do you have any words of wisdom or a mantra that you’d like to pass onto others in this strange time?

Don’t pressure yourself people! Take every day as it comes, understanding that some days will differ. That’s okay.