Ewaoluwa Olatunji, who goes by the stage name Ewa Cole aka “Queen of Afro-Solk”, has been awarded the record for the longest marathon singing Christmas songs.
Ewa sang for a total of 31 hours from 27-28 December to become the first holder of this record.
The 29-year-old from Lagos, Nigeria, said she took on this challenge to “promote peace and unity” and to inspire confidence in young people.
“Since childhood, I’ve been preparing for this moment. I was often put on stage to lead and perform at my school’s Christmas carols,” Ewa revealed.
Throughout her record attempt, Ewa sang classic Christmas songs such as “Deck the Halls”, “Frosty the Snowman”, “Silent Night” and numerous others. She was not allowed to repeat any song within a one-hour period.
Just like all other ‘longest marathon’ record attempts, after every continuous hour of singing, Ewa was permitted a five-minute rest break, which could be accumulated if not taken. These were the only times that she could eat, sleep, or use the bathroom.
The prolonged spells of singing took their toll on Ewa, who battled fatigue, throat pain and stomach problems during her sing-athon.
“The most challenging period for me was between the eighth and 12th hours,” she said.
“I had consumed a drink that caused mild food poisoning symptoms, forcing me to hold in flatulence to avoid public embarrassment. I was simultaneously experiencing profuse sweating, stomach, head, and throat aches, along with an urgent need to use the restroom.”
Although she overcame this hurdle, her throat pain then began to worsen, and after 20 hours it had “intensified to an unbearable level”.
“By the 20th hour, I was desperate for a miraculous reprieve,” Ewa admitted.
She considered giving up, but fortunately she was able to persevere through the pain and did not let it affect her ability to sing.
I never once stopped singing, even when I completely lost my voice. I will say that God was absolutely by my side all through.
Ewa, who works as a software engineer and also runs her own clothing brand, says she’s thrilled to have earned this Guinness World Records title and is “still buzzing with excitement”.
Having created her own music genre called “Afro-Solk”, stemmed from the fusion of Afro-pop, soul, and folk music, Ewa is excited to see where her singing career goes from here.
“It’s incredible to consider all the limitless possibilities that lie ahead,” she said.
“I can’t wait to explore and make the most of them!”