As ‘Grind’ returns for its second season, the series dives even deeper into the raw, untold stories of the hustle. Created by Roberta Orioma, who stars as the lead, the show continues to follow Tarela, a young woman born to a single mother in the slums of Lagos. With her family’s survival on her shoulders, she takes a daring step into the world of stripping, thanks to an offer from her childhood friend, Edesiri, played by Rosanne Chikwendu. The series also features Eso Dike as Kobe, another antagonising force Tarela faces in her relationship with Wole (Daniel Abua). But ‘Grind’ is not just about the world of nightlife; it’s a raw exploration of love, ambition, and the unrelenting pursuit of a better life.
Season 2 of ‘Grind’ is directed by Orire Nwani and Joshua Tso-Tso, with Josh Olaoluwa and Roberta Orioma serving as producers on this production from The Clan Production Studios. As the new season premieres on March 7th on Prime Video, audiences can expect an even deeper exploration of ambition, sacrifice, and the pursuit of agency in a world that often refuses to make room for women like Tarela. Will she finally take control of her destiny, or will the challenges ahead prove too great? There’s only one way to find out.
For this feature, we sit down with Roberta Orioma in an exclusive interview where she discusses Tarela’s evolution, the challenges of bringing authenticity to the screen, and why telling this story was so important.
Tarela’s journey in ‘Grind’ has been filled with tough choices and personal sacrifices. How does her character evolve in Season 2, and what new challenges does she face?
Tarela is faced with tougher choices this season because life keeps happening. I can’t give any specifics without revealing the story of the season, but I can say that you absolutely have to see ‘Grind’ 2. And if you haven’t seen season 1, what are you waiting for?
How did you approach developing the relationships in Tarela’s life, whether with Edesiri, Wole, or her family, to reflect her changing perspective on survival and ambition?
In the writers room, our main goal was staying true to each character, who they are, and how they relate to the people in their lives. What’s their priority? Pitting this against challenges, what wins? Does this incident change the character? Who does this person then emerge as? This was this approach in development.
‘Grind’ shines a light on women navigating the nightlife industry. What inspired you to tell this story, and why do you think it’s important?
I have always been intrigued by women in positions or paths seriously frowned upon by society. I always wonder what hand life dealt them that led to the choices they made. I have always seen them as just humans too, like you and I. People with families and friends that care for them. This inspired me to create ‘Grind.’ I wanted to say, “Meet Tarela; she is just a girl trying to survive.”
You worked with real-life strippers to bring authenticity to the show. How did that shape the storytelling and the way these characters were portrayed?
From the creation of ‘Grind,’ authenticity was the main goal for me. I would go to clubs and speak to strippers. I wanted ‘Grind’ to be as honest as possible, and this shaped every decision made. I remember when we were writing season 1 of ‘Grind,’ I had spoken to an ex-stripper that had just retired a few months before our conversation, and I told her about Tarela and what I was doing with the character and Tarela’s dream to open her wig shop. She told me she just retired to open a shop; she saw herself in Tarela, and that confirmed that we were on the right path because our goal was to tell a human story with real everyday characters. It made sense for us to have strippers be a part of the world we were creating because we were telling their story.
Were there any moments where you had to push back against expectations or societal norms in how ‘Grind’ was written and filmed?
Absolutely. I was pushing back from the very beginning. I had people tell me Nigerians were not ready for ‘Grind’ and would not accept it. I had people laugh and tell me I was crazy when I first shared the idea. The good thing is I have always been stubborn and dogged when I have an idea. People telling me to stop just reminded me that they couldn’t see, and that was okay. I was the only one that needed to see first, and I had unshakeable belief, so I made everyone else see this dream I had created.
What kind of conversations do you hope Season 2 will spark about women, agency, and survival in Lagos?
I hope this season helps people understand that these women are humans with dreams too, like you and I. I hope it will help people see the need to show more grace, to help if they can. I hope it opens people up to caring for more than just themselves, so before you judge, pause and think: she is just trying to survive; how can you help rather than condemn?
What do you want people to take from this season?
I want the audience to see that life happens, and most people try to do their best with the cards they are dealt. I hope we judge less and show more grace.
