Exclusive! Phyno's alleged lover, Rita Edmond finally opens up on her rumoured pregnancy

 

Rita Edmond & Phyno

Recently, the print, electronic and social media have been agog with stories on fast rising pop singer, Rita Edmond’s alleged pregnancy for rapper, Phyno. Like a whirlwind, the pregnancy tale has continued to go viral, making many Nigerians wonder if the two singers have joined the league of entertainers whose flings lead to unplanned bundles of joy. However, we finally caught up with the lady at the centre of the raging storm and engaged her in a no-holds-barred chat. Enjoy miss Edmond as she tells SHOWBIZPLUS the whole truth about her romance with Phyno, how the controversial pregnancy came about and many more.
 

Is there anything new from you?

A whole lot have been going on in my music career. About a month back we shot a new video for my latest single entitled Real Play. The video has been fully edited and it is currently on the internet. At the moment, we are working out strategies to make it available to different TV stations across the nation. In few weeks from now, music lovers, especially my fans would have access to it.

Since the past one week, both the print and social media networks have been feasting on the story of your alleged pregnancy for Phyno. Are you truly pregnant for him?

Sincerely, this scandalous issue has made me cry. It is totally unimaginable; it took me unaware. Every single thing about that story is strange to me. I have never had anything to do with Phyno; in fact, I don’t even know him one on one. I know him as an artiste; I actually like his style of rap, but I do not have any relationship with him let alone being pregnant for him.

Not many Nigerians would believe this?

Even Phyno has denied it and yet people are finding it difficult to believe that we don’t have anything going on. The story sounds so real to the extent that whoever reads it will find it difficult to disbelieve.

How long have you been dating him?

I’ve never dated Phyno. This is not a denial. This is the truth. I’ve not even met Phyno before. Whoever ‘cooked up’ that story must have a hidden agenda.

But it’s said there is never a smoke without a fire…

In this case, there is a smoke without a fire.

But were you really pregnant for someone else?

Do I look like a pregnant woman? I was never pregnant and I’m not pregnant.  

Some people believe you must have had an abortion

Never!  

The story has it that you were also in Dubai with him during the Xmas period

Yes, I was in Dubai and lots of pictures were taken while I was there and were used online. Lots of entertainers and my friends knew I was in Dubai. I went to Dubai on my bills. My bills weren’t taken care of by Phyno as was alleged in the story. I also read in that story that Phyno bought me my Acura MDX; that is very funny. I bought that car even before I went to Dubai. So I want to clearly state it here that there is no form of relationship between Phyno and I.      

How did you feel the first time you heard the story?

Funny enough, the story first dropped on different blogs on Wednesday-January 15. By Thursday, I started receiving numerous calls from both the media and my friends trying to confirm if I was really pregnant for Phyno. I even got over 300 pings asking me if I was pregnant for Phyno; I was shocked. My phone was ringing ceaselessly. Most of them didn’t even believe me and at a point I had to stop picking up my calls. From what I understood, a particular Bimbo was making a call, and someone overheard her saying a particular Rita was pregnant. I don’t even have a friend called Bimbo in Nigeria. The person just heard Rita and concluded it was Rita Edmond and my pictures started flying around all the media houses in Nigeria.

 Basically, how do you see a relationship with Phyno?

A relationship with Phyno would have been fantastic. But even at that, he is not my kind of man.

But do you love him?

No. I don’t. I don’t have any crush on him; I only have a crush on his rap. And the crush I have on his rap is because he infuses Igbo language into his rap. I cannot tell you I can date his kind of person.

Why?

He just doesn’t fit into the description of the guy I would love to date.

What is your ideal guy like?         

My I deal guy has to be manly, tall, really handsome and cool headed.

Is there anyone in the picture?

Yes, there is someone in my life and this pregnancy rumour has even caused problem for us. Pregnancy is not something you hide, so let’s all wait till the next nine months and see if there is anything of such.

You don’t believe in abortion?

I believe in abortion but for crying out loud I am not pregnant (laughs).  

Are you suspecting any foul play?

Yes, I am suspecting a foul play…from the management angle. It feels that their camp has a lot of controversies-for instance the Chidinma sex tape- and maybe somebody felt they should also create a controversy in my camp. I’m not saying it’s coming from there but I’m just looking at it from that angle. The fact is that if I had even wanted to create such news myself it wouldn’t have been Phyno.

Who could it have been?

I would go for Flavour.

You have crush on Flavour?

I love Flavour; who doesn’t love Flavour? (laughs).

How long have you been having a crush on him?

Since he came out with his first album!

Have you made any effort to tell him your mind?

No. I don’t think I have to do that. I’m preoccupied with how to give my fans what they want.

But would you say yes to a marriage proposal from Flavour?

I would not simply because there are so many women after him; I don’t like such competition.

What about getting pregnant for him?

Being pregnant out of wedlock is not the ultimate.     

Tell us about your background

My name is Rita Edmond, the first child in a family of five children. I’m from Imo State and I’m a graduate of Industrial Chemistry from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State. I’m a young girl who is crazy about music- I love music with all my life (laughs). And the kind of music I do is Pop sensation. I also do hip hop and R&B.

For how long have you been singing?

Well, like every great artiste will always say, I started music right from childhood. I’ve always loved music. It’s not something I woke up one day and say ok I’m going into music. And truly, when you look at most artistes who are doing well, you find out that they never stumbled into music; it must have started as a passion and later metamorphosed into something great. So, to me music is inborn. But professionally, I started doing music in the year 2010. I have had some hit singles over the years including, TicToc, Baby Boo, Crazy about You, Real Play, etc.

What do you think makes you unique and differentiates you from other acts?

The industry is very competitive. Good music is one thing I see that can stand any up and coming artiste out, and make the reigning ones remain relevant. So for me, my kind of music- be it Hip hop or R&B, or any other genres of music-once it has good lyrics, nice beats and the flow that follows it, that’s the only thing that can stand me or any other person out. And most importantly, I’m unique in what I do. You will appreciate my uniqueness whenever you listen to my songs.

What determines your choice of lyrics, and how does the inspiration come?

My lyrics are actually based on inspiration and the prevailing circumstances around me. I might just be in a beautiful place, maybe around the beach, and a nice lyric would just pop into my mind, which I would just get a pen and paper and put them down. So, basically my inspiration is drawn from what is happening around me; what is going on in my life, or in the life of others. It could also be about the state of the nation; I’ve actually done songs that reflect the situation in Nigeria.

 

 By JAMES EMMANUEL-ENTERTAINMENT EXPRESS

  Jemedia7@gmail.com