BN Saturday Celebrity Interview: “Clarence Peters & Don Jazzy Are Really Hot” | Controversial Singer Maheeda Dishes on Her ‘Sexy Propaganda’, Married Life, Raising Her Teenage Daughter & Much More

The story of Maheeda (real name Caroline Sam), is filled with all kinds of adjectives – sad, inspiring, happy, crazy and many more. After becoming an orphan, teenage Maheeda ended up on the streets and started leading a life of prostitution. Soon after, she found music to be her calling and she never stopped chasing the dream.

Back in July 2012, after a relatively short but very controversial music career, Maheeda ‘turned a new leaf’ and became a Gospel singer as she released her single, “Hallelujah”. Since then, she took a few shots at secular Afro Pop/Dance songs, “I Just Wanna Dance” and “Superman”. This turned a lot of heads as to if Maheeda had really turned a new leaf after all.

Also in 2012, she found love and got wed to her millionaire husband, Robert who moved her and her teenage daughter to settle down in the Netherlands. But, in recent months, news about Maheeda re-surfaced on Nigerian social scene like a wildfire, and it wasn’t about her music. The singer started sharing very suggestive images and videos of herself on her social media platforms, some of which include her bathing and wearing very revealing outfits.

So, BN had a brief Q&A session with the songstress, Maheeda to find out what’s really going on with the controversial artiste as well as what she might surprise us with next.

It’s been a while since you’ve been on the scene, on the blogs and in the news, what brought about the sudden re-emergence?
I really don’t know. I was just living my life and having fun. So, I decided to share it with the world and then, the world enjoyed it and took it too far.

From how many pictures you put up daily, you really seem to love Instagram. What is it about the social media website that you connect to?
It is just really easy to use and fun. It’s also the best way to show off.

Some of your new Instagram photos and videos have become trending topics in online Nigerian circles. How do you handle this new popularity?
Popularity? (laughs). Honestly, I didn’t see it coming but I took it how it came. I have learnt that if life gives u lemons, you make lemonade.

After quite a controversial career, BellaNaija even tagged you an ‘African Gaga’ back in 2012 {click here}, in July 2012, it was reported that you had turned a new leaf and become a Gospel singer. But, in the past two or three months, you have resurfaced with quite a new image that seems to contradict that. Is this a tale of ‘good girl gone bad’, or rather bad girl gone good gone bad again?
The truth is that I am just looking for a balance. I never said that I was a Gospel singer nor secular musician. At the end of the day, I prefer the best of both worlds.

Since you dropped your first Gospel single, “Hallelujah” back in 2012, we haven’t heard any other Gospel songs from you. Why the decision to go back to secular music?
Like I said, I never specified that I was a secular artist nor did I say I was a Gospel artist. I choose to take the best of both worlds and put it in my music. If I want to thank God for his mercies, I will. And, also, if I want to tell you that I love sex, I will.

Since you got married last year, you’ve moved to Holland with your family. How has it been living there and what do you miss most about Nigeria?
Life in Holland is great. Apart from marrying a millionaire, the government has really made life easy for us here. So, honestly, I can say that I miss nothing about living back in Nigeria.

How has life been for you over there? Have you been doing any Non-music jobs?
No, I haven’t. I have just been attending schools and adding more to my knowledge. The truth is that after coming abroad, I realized that we really do need education in Nigeria so I decided to help myself out here.

With a lot of your raunchy and suggestive new photos and videos out circulating, criticisms have arisen that you returned to your life as a street hustler. How does this make you feel? And, what do you have to say to your critics? How do you handle the criticism you receive on social media?
I’ll just keep this simple. It’s normal for people to want to criticize. At least, I am being educated here in Europe on what show business is and how to succeed in it. That’s all I have to say.

How has married life been?
Married life is like another school. I am learning how to love, how to forgive; how to share, how to care for and make love to someone who is imperfect, knowing fully well that you are not perfect yourself. I’m learning a lot. I’m also learning self control, forgiveness and faithfulness. It’s a big learning time for me. I just want to say that I thank God for my husband. He is my superman.

How did you manage the transition into your new life in Holland and into married life?
Like I said before, whatever life gives you, the onus is on you to make something out of it. I have accepted the fact that I am now based in the Netherlands and as such, I have to be part of the people here. I have to settle down and learn a lot to share back home, to the people that want to be shared with back home. Basically, happiness is a choice. If you choose to be happy wherever you are, you can be… and, stay out of police wahala.

With your new-found buzz, what should we be expecting from you musically?
I have a lot of surprises in store (laughs). I can’t tell you quite yet.

In your career, you’ve never been shy of controversy, as such, people are saying that your antics on social media website, Instagram are all just part of a big publicity stunt. What do you think about that?
They can say what they want to say. All join.

From comments on social media websites, critics have said that you look very fit for your age and status as a mother. What’s your secret to looking fit and having a bikini-ready body?
My secret is good, healthy food and lots and lots of exercise. I also try to work my body out when I am making love to my man (laughs). That’s my secret.

Since your new slew of suggestive imagery on social media website, Instagram, you must have found yourself a new fan base. Do you think you might lose these ‘new’ fans if you stop being suggestive on Instagram?
I really don’t know. Even the feedback I am getting now, I have been really surprised how their reactions have been. Maybe they will surprise me again if that happens, but they are my fans and I just love them.

We have seen photos of you online at dance class. While you are still in school, what other courses are you studying?
I want to keep my fans guessing, so I can’t really say (laughs). But, what I can say is that I’ll give you a tip. Here’s the tip – I love showbiz.

You have shared a few new photos and videos of your daughter on your Instagram page. She has really grown into a big girl. How old is your daughter now?
She is now thirteen years old.

With a young daughter, do you feel that your ‘sexy propaganda’ might be teaching her to do the same? How would you feel if your daughter started putting up semi-nude photos on her own Instagram page?
My daughter is thirteen years old and well- trained. Schools in Europe teach sex education. They teach them what to do as a teenager and they also teach them what not to do. At home as well, I put more light into what the school has taught her. My daughter knows her limits and I am a happy mum. Some pastors’ kids end up always being in clubs and it’s by their choice. One thing I’ll just say is that children will make choices. We, as parents, can only pray that they make good ones.

What’s the next frontier you might want to sojourn into? Outside of learning showbiz  in school and your music career, where should we be expecting you? On movie sets or as an author any time soon?
I can’t quite let the cat out of the bag just yet. I’ll just say – maybe.

Your life story is somewhat like a ‘grass to grace’ story. You were an orphan who ended up going into prostitution but now, you’re married to a millionaire and live in Holland. Do you do any charity work?
Like you said, I am an orphan. I am doing the charity on me for now. And, I’ll be doing so at least until I, personally can do for more.

What are some of your hobbies and favourite pastimes?
Sex, dancing, reading and social media websites, Twitter and Instagram (laughs).

On your social media platforms, you have mentioned that you’re just doing what you do best and that is being sexy.Who does Maheeda find sexy?
I think that Clarence Peters and Don Jazzy are really hot. I like the kind of guy that talks less but does more. If you apply that in bed, hmmm, it’s really sexy. I love surprises, in and out of bed. I want to be ‘wow’-ed. I want the guy to make me wander (laughs).

Do you consider yourself a Nigerian sex symbol?
I really don’t know. Who is in charge of giving such titles? Who dey give title?

Will you be collaborating with any musicians in the near future?
Hopefully, I will be collaborating with a few musicians in the near future. I am currently begging a lot of them now. Since they have now passed my level, I want them to pull me up to theirs but them never answer me yet. Let’s see how the Nigerian music industry supports their own. At the end of the day though, if they don’t support me, I guess it’s just between me and my God then. And, my God is one who makes a way where it seems to be no way.

Do you have any message for your fans?
Thanks for the love. I really appreciate it.

It was nice chatting with Maheeda and from BellaNaija, we wish her all the best in her future endeavours

Play Maheeda – Hallelujah
[audio: https://www.bellanaija.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Hallelujah.mp3]
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Photo Credit: Instagram – MaheedaNigeria | BellaNaija