Nigerian acts Vector and Seyi Shay go to Nollywood

16 Jul 2018 - 18:24

Viewers might be surprised that forthcoming Nigerian film Lara and the Beat features a number of on-screen acts whose first brush with fame took place far from Nollywood.

Seyi Shay stars in Nollywood picture Lara and the Beat.

The music industry in particular has supplied three artists for the film, as R&B singer Seyi Shay and rapper Vector take up prominent roles. The film also stars DJ Xclusive. Off-screen, the film's soundtrack, as produced by renowned producer Tee Y Mix, was recorded with contribution from Nigeria’s Universal Music Group.

“There is only one thing I can say about my film experience,” Vector said at a recent exclusive screening of the film. “Na only for Nollywood you go realise say it’s not about you. It’s about everybody.

"You know as an artist you go somewhere and people are waiting for you already, it’s all about you…For film it’s all about all of una o. Even if you had great scenes, if the whole movie doesn’t work well, it doesn’t work well for you as well. That’s the most important lesson I held from venturing into acting.”

Lara and the Beat follows two sisters whose privileged lives are changed after a financial scandal. According to an official synopsis, the pair are then "forced out of their privileged cocoon, and must learn to build their own future–through music and enterprise–to salvage their family’s past. It promises to be a thrilling experience, especially with the exciting themes explored in the movie including financial literacy, family values, sisterhood, friendship, music, fashion, culture and love."

Speaking about her role as the film’s titular character, Seyi Shay said: “I lived, breathed and slept Lara Giwa. She’s a typical young lady whom you see in different lights. You see her really rich, you see her very poor, you see her in between, you see her fall in love, you see so many different emotions in her.

“So I wasn’t really thinking more about those elements per say, I was just thinking more about every girl, every lady, every woman that is going to watch the movie; how they would react in certain circumstances that Lara Giwa was in within the movie. I tried to portray that so that whoever is watching can relate.”

Produced by Biola Alabi Media, Lara and the Beat will open on 20 July in cinemas across Nigeria.