My father Wants Me To Mine Gold — Abimbola Fernandez

I was born in Neuilly-Sur-Seine, Paris, France. My family lived in France. A few years later, we moved to New York when my father took up his post: first, as an Ambassador to Mozambique, then, Equitorial Guinea, and Central African Republic, where he was also Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
As a family, we had our traditions. We would spend every summer on our 150 foot headship yacht, Yemoja.
Every vacation, we travelled to somewhere new aboard my father’s plane. Every Sunday, my parents would have our chef prepare canapés and cocktails and they would sit and listen to my sister play her harp. I played violin. As children, we travelled all over Africa and the world. We visited all the countries my father represented. We were sheltered as children and we really didn’t face many challenges, apart from sifting through the vultures and vacuums.

Parents
My father is the most amazing man alive. He did everything for his family. My mother was his Queen and my sister and I were his little princesses. He gave us everything and so much more. If you try to attack him, he
will bite, but behind closed doors, he is loving. I had the most incredible mother and she was very well educated, extremely elegant and breathtakingly beautiful. Due to my family’s choice to keep our business so private, I’ve had quite a ‘normal’ life to a certain extent. We weren’t in the papers or magazines until my parents divorced.

Wealth
Our parents don’t just hand us money. I was writing songs on my guitar everyday, which I’m still doing. Like most people, my father influences all my decisions because I respect him more than anybody in the world. My father has always hoped, to this day, that I’d get into the business of mining gold. He was not pleased at my choice to pursue a career in music. He wanted me to continue my studies at Oxford.

Music
I turned to music during the tough times at school. I started playing violin at the age of four, and guitar at 13. Once I realised the freedom of writing your own music and playing it and fully expressing yourself, it was a done deal. I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life. I’ve been playing instruments my whole life and singing in the choirs at all my different schools. Now, I’m making it happen with the help of my team. I worked very hard for my record deal on my own. I wrote and recorded songs for years while networking throughout New York City. I finally sat down and sent about 200 emails with my bio, pictures and music. I shopped my own music around and got a deal.

Competition
I’m not sure I would have an issue coping with other famous people. I just treat them with the respect I expect back. I think being a Nigerian female pop singer, who plays guitar, speaks for itself. There aren’t many of us out there.

Role model
I love Jimi Hendrix, Courtney Love, Katy Perry, Blink 182. I definitely have mad love for British pop band, McFly; or more so just Dougie. I want the same success as Rihanna, and I want to be with Rihanna. But I don’t want to be like her. We are different people entirely, I’m sure people can appreciate that.

My country, Nigeria
Nigeria has a great future and I love to bring my group, Pink Grenade, to Nigeria. I hope I will be back soon.

Style
Style is whatever you are comfortable in. If you feel good, you make it look good. My mother had an extensive wardrobe of all sorts of vintage designer garments. I’d like to take those, alter them to make them more age-appropriate for myself.

Personality
I’m really shy and I have a big heart. When people meet me, they expect an extremely rude girl but I’m the opposite. I’m an amazing cook. I grew up eating African food and French gourmet-that’s what I cook the best. I also love playing video and I love rollerblading. Most people don’t know that I’m an equestrian. I’ve been in six national horse shows. Every member of my family has their own horse.

Beauty
I’ve been blessed with really good skin. If I did have to choose one thing, I will say: don’t wear your make-up to the gym.

Hobbies
I can get dolled up in a $10,000 dress and go to a gala or I can just hang out, go to a concert and have a casual drink. What really relaxes me is speaking to my father for hours on the phone.