When the Fuji topshot, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma launched into pop with his fuji vocals, it was a signal to music fans that Nigerian music is evolving. Music is travelling fast against the currents of different culture and new genres are formed in this applaudable venture. Not everyone agrees to changing music genres. In fact, some artistes and fans are die-hards when it comes to their preferred genres.

For instance, you can't imagine Femi Kuti doing anything else but Afrobeat. He tried soul with D'Angelou once and music critics and fans were apprehensive that he would divorce his family music. They were kind to let him know they preferred the hard core Afrobeat.

Presently, our young generations of artists keep seeking to establish their new voices in their unique styles. One of them is Sola Ekundayo. You'd recall his face from Project Fame Season 6 where he contested for the coveted prize of a recording contract, N5 million and a brand new car but he left the show with none of these in 9th position. This reporter met him recently and discovered what he took from the academy that wasn't announced to everyone.

Sola was born and raised in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State. He attended University of Ilorin Primary School, University of Ilorin Secondary school and University of Ilorin. His mother was a staff of the university so it was only natural to have her children within her reach. Sola studied Physics Education.

In that city of Ilorin, fuji music was everywhere. You'd hear it on the radio and see it on television. By default, he started singing it having listened repeatedly to Barrister, Kwam 1 and Kollington. As a young man, he also loves R&B and his brain is like a mini-music library where you store up lyrics of evergreen love songs and all. Viewers saw a tip of the iceberg when he showed up for the music reality show.

He was in a very competitive season and even though he didn't receive much criticism from the judges at the show, the votes for him were just not enough. But with the spirit of Obama, he kept at it. In and out of the studio, he is always cooking something hot. He had just done a track with Oritsefemi titled "Amen". One of the motivating factors for him is the love from fans.

"They call me Sholly Fresh aka Aloyin lohun (meaning one with honey-laced voiced) and 'uncommon'. I have got a lot of names from fans. My stage name is Sola. I did a single with Cobhams before leaving the academy and a lot of people were just calling me to drop it," he began, while adjusting the bling around his neck.

"Leaving the academy then was quite emotional for me because I didn't see it coming but my dad always told me to expect the unexpected in life. People don't really love you as much as you do. My friends didn't vote for me. The people that I thought would stand up for me didn't. It got to me but then it is a competition and someone has to leave. I just know that one leaf doesn't drop from a tree and God won't notice it."

Perhaps as you are reading this, his contract with 960 music group would have ended because it was just a year contract. He seemed quite hopeful that he would get another because his phone had not stopped ringing. "I have been receiving calls already from different record labels but I have decided to see it spiritually. It is all about taking risk but I am sure something good is about to happen," he said. He described himself as a versatile artist not a caged one. He has been working on fusing R&B and his first love, fuji.

"Although people know me for R&B and fuji music, I like to call what I do Fuji pop. I think my fans love the blend. I believe in doing something related to our culture as Africans and I am a Yoruba boy. People love that fuji element in my music. They listen to it and sometimes they tell me how to do it better. I went out one day and I saw this agbero guy. When he sighted me, he ranted, "Sholly fresh koni mo wo ini, oh my god. Igba tan yo e jade yen, o dun awon aye gan (meaning, isn't this Sholly Fresh? When you were evicted from the academy, it pained a lot of us.) I was quite glad, people show me love. Originality sells all the time."

After his graduation from the university in 2011, he participated in the mandatory National Youth Service in 2012. "I was the music director in my camp then. My music career started there. As a music director, I had the opportunity to meet a lot of people in the industry. It has not been easy. The good thing is I am not there yet but I am not where I used to be," he said. Sola kept in touch his co-contestants at Project Fame and together, they are pursuing their dreams. They go to the studio, compare notes albeit not literarily and stay on top of their game.

"You remember Christian from Ghana? We eat Amala together here in lekki where we roll. When I was at the academy, Uncle Ben would tell me that this fuji will take me far in Yoruba, saying 'fuji yi magbe e yo gan omo iya mi,'" he said, mimicking Ben Ogbeiwi. "I still do R&B during repertoire but I am loyal to fuji. I can do rock and reggae. 'Only You' is a rock track. I have five songs including 'I love Naija', 'Amen', 'Alujo' and 'Gbese'," he said.

Sola was also a music director at Rhema Chapel and didn't know how to club as a church boy. Till now, he would only go to club for music business and that has not stopped him from being an entertaining performer.

"Whenever I grab the mic, the spirit fills me up and I let it lead me. But I learnt a lot from the academy. The judges are very much experienced. They have travelled far and seen a lot. I tend to take their comments very seriously. The faculty members also correct you but not in front of everybody. They don't want us to feel bad or kill the passion in us," he revealed.

He also said that he had and still has a good relationship with the winner of the season's show and that will not change. "I was very close to Geoffrey in the academy. He is a good guy with a good heart. When I was leaving the academy, I whispered to his ears, 'bring it home'. I play the guitar. But I never brought it to the academy. It used to distract some contestants from focusing on their own tasks when others ask them to play the instrument for them to rehearse," he recalled.

For him, working with other young artists sounds good. Olamide, Davido, Yemi Alade are some of the artistes he looks forward to "jamming with". If you are still curious to know what he left the academy with, it is summed up in a word: perseverance.