The GrowlersWorld Interviews are an ongoing quest, bringing you closer to successful and creative people in all walks of life. I've been lucky enough to meet and talk to some amazing, positive and aspirational people. This is where I share their inspirational journeys.

Rawle Austin presents...

A conversation with Ayi Jihu - The Amazing, Fear Chasing R&B Artist!

Ayi Jihu is the sensational and inspirational R&B artist who is making waves globally. Backed by Stevie E from Shlepp Records she is entertaining the world with her music. I spoke to her to find out the secret to her success.

Rawle Austin: Could you briefly introduce yourself to GrowlersWorld readers?

Ayi Jihu: Hello, I am Ayi Jihu. I am a singer, dancer and performer from China. I have been nicknamed the Chinese Madonna. I think this is more because I am independent, and strong and not part of the system, than it is because I look or sing like her. I am also an Ambassador for several worldwide Charities and brands and the co creator of Fear Chaser. At this point I am also known as being the first Chinese R&B artist to crossover to the west culturally and style wise. I guess the people in the West feel I have swagger.

RA: How and when did you start your singing career? Tell us about the journey, from China to worldwide.

AJ: My Professional Singing Career started when I was discovered by Stevie Eagle from Shlepp Records. I have always been performing from my days back at home in China since nursery. I was known as the kid who’s always in the performing scene. However it was not until meeting up with Stevie Eagle who had the same vision I did for a Chinese artist, that my career really took off.

In the space of 4 years he has helped me go from an unknown Chinese girl from a small village to the most talked about international Chinese performer reaching over a billion people in 2010 alone. It has been a long hard journey and I have had to sacrifice a lot. I have done things I never thought I could do, but now I am beginning to realise my dreams and the hard work is beginning to pay off.

Listen to 'Sad Sweet Dreamer' by Ayi Jihu

RA: You have a great love for music, why is it such a passion for you?

AJ: I think like everyone else, music has helped me through the toughest parts of my life. From my youth back in china it was my connection to the outside world. The magical world that had people who could create and sing and perform in ways we could then only dream of doing and it inspired me. When fate helped me to come to Europe against all the odds I fell in love with the club scene, the R&B and Reggae in the clubs. I would climb out the window, go to black clubs, stay there all night just watching the people dance and get down.

I would then go home and try to dance and sing like them, I would go out every RnB night, even against my parents will. All I wanted to do was be where the music was, dance and soak up the vibe. It’s hard to put into words how much I love music and I was fortunate to be inspired by the best in what I call the heyday of R&B.

RA: Who are your top three favourite artists and why?

AJ: The person that inspired me the most since I was in China was Michael Jackson, he’s a legend, a perfection of his art form, there won’t be another MJ, his music, his performances and his heart are my inspirations. I love India Arie, when I was younger I hear her words but didn’t listen or really understand, but as time goes by, I find her words speak straight to me, I can learn so much from her music, she’s real and her music is the food for my soul. I also love Beyonce, she’s a great role model for women in our generation, she works so hard, perfecting her art form yet so humble and lovely!

RA: What has been the most memorable experience to date from your many performances?

AJ: I have performed in some amazing places, but I think performing in Bermuda at a Rasta Reggae event with all of these Black and rastamen and women who don’t just love their music, they live and eat their music. They know the full history of their music. The music is part of the very fabric of who they are. Performing in front of them I was so scared.

It was an experience I had never had before, singing with an old skool sound. They had so many DJ’s on stage and Speakers the size of buildings everywhere, the music was so deep and raw and I just thought to myself, these people are going to kill me! I was standing there for what seemed to be a lifetime and when they called me up and I started to sing and dance and do my thing the place caught on fire!

Click here to check out the single 'Sad Sweet Dreamer' by Ayi Jihu on Amazon MP3  

The women came to the front and started dancing, the guys put their lighters up in the air I’m sure I even heard a gunshot go off and they showed me so much love. I was not only the only Chinese person there I was the only light skin person there! It was crazy, but I felt so much at home and I realised that these people for whom R&B and Reggae meant so much accepted me. Afterwards they all kept coming up to me and saying positive things or just nodding their heads as if to say ‘Gwan Sista’ I have to thank Radigun for setting that up for me and I have to say that one will stick out in my mind forever.

RA: What advice would you give to others who want to follow your path to become a worldwide singing sensation?

AJ: Be prepared to work very very hard, and go without a lot of the ‘normal’ things, do not give up, especially when it gets so hard. Remember in the beginning you need people more than they want you, so stay humble but do not dilute your value. Believe in yourself.

Listen to 'Smak Dat' by Ayi Jihu

RA: How did you become a UN Cultural Ambassador and what does the role involve?

AJ: Before I was UN Cultural Ambassador I was Ambassador for Global Flying Hospitals and FAAVM as well as Special Envoy to Sun Earth Energy. I think once one organization sees how you can help people other organizations want to use you also. The UN approached me because I guess they felt I could shine some light on some things they wanted to share with the people. They want to reach a new different audience.

My main role is to help them shine a light on causes that they wish to push. Right now it’s the Earthquake appeal for Japan, Haiti and other places around the world. I will be fundraising and arranging visits to certain areas to highlight the plight of people in need. I love doing this. I was doing this before I was an Ambassador for anyone. I guess it started with the Sichuan earthquake when I campaigned and raised funds. This was my region, my home town and my people and I knew right away what I had to do.

RA: Can you explain to us what the Fear chaser concept is all about and what it means to you?

AJ: Fear Chaser right now means everything to me, because it brings together everything that is me, my music, my business, my life and all the bits of my life are wrapped up in Fear Chaser. The Fear Chaser concept is a multi-media concept, built around my own life and experiences. Everything I have done has scared me to death. I have had to come out of my comfort zone big time to achieve all the things I have. But I realised that fear was around me all the time.

It was there in relationships, in music, in business in the media in everything and if I did not get control of it I was going to fail. I wrote a song with Stevie Eagle E called No Fear and it was all about me saying ‘No More’ to my fear. I had to make a decision to either fight my fears or let them take control. I realised that this was a decision every person has to make at some stage to go forward and keep going forward and it was from that Fear Chaser was born.

Fear Chaser Trailer

The movie Fear Chaser is based on my own experiences and story, but with Sci Fi and fantasy thrown in. I play the Fear Chaser an ordinary girl who is given the power to see and fight the fears of others and her own. It’s a bit like medium I guess. In medium she can see ghosts and speak to them, when no one else can. Well in Fear Chaser I can see your fear demons and I fight them and get into adventures. I take on the Fear Lord and I am helped by normal people and special Angels.

What I really love about Fear Chaser is that I never beat the fear, I only subdue it or make it smaller. Also I can’t just beat a Fear Demon up and that’s it. I have to help the person confront and deal with their fear in the real world too. So both things have to come together for me to succeed. There is action, martial arts and adventure, but there is real drama and social interaction and we tackle some serious issues.

Fear Chaser also has a cool love story plot involved too. But I don’t want to give away too much.

The online game is so cool and has had millions and millions of players already. What is so great about that is seeing these young kids start to get with the idea of fighting their fears without even really realising it. It’s brought me thousands of new young fans from around the world, I feel very blessed and thankful. Adventure Quest Worlds (AQ.com) did an amazing job.

RA: Who inspires you in life and why?

AJ: I’ve come across all sorts of people in life, some people have all the talk, I was fooled by many of them in the beginning, slowly their actions have proved that they are nothing but talkers. I realised my mother, the person doesn’t talk much at all is the strongest person I know, people think they can walk over her because she’s quite and humble, but what she does is use her actions to shut everyone up, she works so hard, never complains, just gets on with it!

She may not show me love by kissing me all the time but she has supported me in my career from day one, she’s the only person that never stopped me from going for my dream but supported me in every single way, which made this already difficult journey a lot easier! I wanna be like her, not only beautiful on the outside but from within. And of course my mentor/producer Stevie Eagle, the person who discovered me, I’ve never seen anyone work as hard as he does, he believed in me from the start and never let me down, he’s very wise and strong, I’m learning from him all the time.

RA: How do you keep yourself motivated to pursue your goals?

AJ: I think if you are motivated you motivate yourself. I have something in me that won’t let me stop. But the most important things are the people you surround yourself with. If you surround yourself with winners they will motivate you. This is so important, your friends and the people around you can help you or harm you. They can motivate you or slow you down. Choose these people carefully; don’t be afraid to let people go who do not have your philosophy or drive. Also I am lucky enough to have Stevie Eagle E and he just won’t let anyone slack up. If you do not share his drive and ambition and work ethic you just have to go. You either get infected by it or it will wear you out and you will quit.

Listen to Ayi Jihu talking about Fear Chaser

RA: And finally, what words of wisdom would you like to leave us with?

AJ: Do not buy into everything you read and see. Trust your inbuilt common sense and knowledge of right and wrong. People are too easily lead these days and don’t know which way is up anymore. People are just about money and showy displays, cars, houses, bling. None of these things matter in life, what matters are people and helping people. Keeping it real is over used these days, and in truth not many people really do, but if you can do it, try to keep it real and know who to listen to and who not to listen to.

Do not be afraid to not know something, but if you do not know something do not be lazy, go and learn it. Being a star is not pop idol. It takes time, it takes hard work, it takes falling down and getting up over and over again and fighting your fears. Stars are made over thousands of years not over a few months. If things are happening too quickly question it, check yourself, bring yourself back to reality and keep it real. What you give is what you get and so if you are getting a lot and not really giving anything you will lose it because it will not be real.

All photos © Shlepp Entertainment

Click here to check out Ayi Jihu's official website

Click here to learn more about Fear Chaser at the official website

Click here to check out Shlepp Records official website

< Barrie Armstrong - Photographic Lighting | Jon Koh - Dragon Boat Racing >

[Back to Top]

[GrowlersWorld Business]

[Privacy Policy, Disclaimers, Small Print and Legal Stuff]

[Contact]

[Home Page]