Nuru The Light!!!
Jestina George had an opportunity to interview Artist & Fashion Blogger Nuru the Light and she gave us the full deets on her latest single ‘MUHOGO ANDAZI. Enjoy!!!!
JG: Why did you choose to pursue a music career?
NURU: IV BEEN SINGING SINCE THE AGE OF FOUR, I USED TO STAND WITH THE FAMILY CHOIR IN THE CHURCH AND SING. MY GRANDFATHER CANALI/MCHUNGAJI MAGOKE WAS A MAN OF GOD AND LIVED BY THE NAME OF GOD, SO BEING AROUND THAT WITH THE CHOIR I STARTED SINGING AT A VERY YOUNG AGE IT WAS AT 16YEARS OF AGE THAT I SIGNED A RECORD DEAL WITH STOCKHOLM RECORDS AND MY ARTIST NAME THEN WAS DANUMA.SO PROFESSIONALLY I STARTED AT 16 TO GO ON TOUR AND TRAVELLED ALOT PLUS ALL THAT COMES WITH THE JOB.
JG: How has the journey been since you started doing music?
NURU: AM GLAD THAT I STARTED YOUNG BECAUSE IT GAVE ME THE TOOLS, BOTH GOOD AND BAD THAT COMES WITH THIS JOB. AND ALSO A CHANCE TO MAKE MISTAKES SO THAT TODAY I CAN SAY I KNOW BETTER IN TERMS OF SIGNING A GOOD DEAL AND LOOK OUT FOR MYSELF. AT 16 I WAS JUST HAPPY TO BE SIGNED BUT TODAY I WOULDNT SETTLE FOR JUST THAT.
THE JOURNEY HAS BEEN BOTH GOOD AND BAD BUT THEN AGAIN I DONT KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY BUT AT THE SAME TIME IV LEARNED ALOT ALONG THE WAY, BOTH AS A WOMAN AND AN ARTIST.
IV BEEN LIED TO, PROMISED THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPEN, SOME EVEN TAKEN MY MONEY, TRUSTED THE WRONG PEOPLE BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IT MADE ME STRONG SO THAT TODAY I CAN STAND UP FOR MYSELF, AS OPRAH ALWAYS TELLS HER GUESTS 'SIGN YOUR OWN CHECKS!'
JG: What inspires you as a singer?
NURU: LIFE INSPIRES ME NOT JUST MINE BUT OTHERS ASWELL. SINGING IS MY PASSION, IS A WAY OF LIVING AND ITS SOMETHING THAT GOD BLESSED ME WITH.
MY VOICE IS A GIFT AND AM NOT GONNA LET GOD DOWN BY NOT USING IT....
JG: How long have you been singing for and how have you evolved as an artist?
NURU: IV BEEN SINGING SO LONG BUT EVOLVING AS AN ARTIST HAS ALOT TO DO WITH HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF. MY VOICE IS MY TOOL AND JUST AS YOUR BODY YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
SMOKING, DRINKING, DRUGS AND SOME FOOD DESTROYS WHAT YOU HAVE IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL BUT TO ME TAKING LESSONS,LISTENING AND WORKING WITH OTHER ARTISTS AND ALWAYS LEARNING NEW THING MAKES ME EVOLVE AS AN ARTIST.
JG: What are your views on the Tanzanian entertainment industry today?
NURU: OUR TANZANIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY NEEDS MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED CAUSE AS OF RIGHT NOW FEW PEOPLE CONTROL THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES US NOT TO MOVE FORWARD. WE NEED MORE VARIETY RATHER THAN TWO VIEWS AND HOW TO RUN THINGS. WE NEED RISK TAKERS WHO ARE WILLING TO TAKE A CHANCE.,.,INSHALLAH WE WILL SEE...
JG: What are the best and worst parts of being an artist in Tanzania, though you live in Europe?
NURU: THE WORST IS THAT PEOPLE DON'T SEE YOUR VIEW OR GET IT RIGHT AWAY..THEY ARE SO USED IN DOING SOMETHING IN ONE WAY THAT IS WHY SO IT TAKES TIME TO CONVISCE THEM. SOMETIMES THEY DONT RESPECT SUDDEN ASPECTS LIKE TIME IS MONEY AND PROFFESIONALISM WHEN IT COMES TO WORK.
FOR EXAMPLE IF I AM NOT PRESENT IN TANZANIA MY WORK GOES VERY SLOW BECAUSE AM NOT THERE TO PUSH EVERYBODY WHILE THEY ARE ALREADY PAID AND THATS VERY SAD. THE GOOD PART IS THAT IN EUROPE I CAN LIVE MY LIFE AND GO ON WITHOUT THINKING THE PAPS ARE THERE.
I CAN GO TO A CLUB AND GO WILD WITHOUT SAYING OH GOSH, HERE AM JUST NURU AS OPPOSE TO NURU THE LIGHT OR NURU THE SINGER. AT MY WORK PEOPLE DONT EVEN KNOW THAT I SING AND AM OK WITH THAT.
JG: Would you say the bad economy crisis the world is currently facing as affected you directly as a singer?
NURU: IT HASNT REALLY AS A SINGER MAYBE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL BUT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS GONNA LIVE BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE ARE SAD OR GOING THROUGH A HARD THING IN LIFE MUSIC ALWAYS HELPS SO IN THE LONG RUN IT HASN'T EFFECTED ME MUCH WHICH I THANK GOD FOR THAT.
JG: How many videos have you made till date? Name them if you can please
NURU: MORE THAN TEN VIDEOS BUT AM JUST GONNA NAME THE SWAHILI VERSIONS
WALIMWENGU
MSELA
KWANINI
'MUHOGO ANDAZI'
WAS FEAUTERED IN CHEGES VIDEO, MORACKA, AND QUICK ROCKA CALLED BULLET WHICH I WAS A LEAD GIRL.., FUN TIMES
JG: Tell us what inspired the concept for your latest single ‘MUHOGO ANDAZI’ and also tell us a bit about the video?
NURU: HAHAHAAHAHAHA THE SONG CAME ABOUT AS A JOKE, WE WERE IN THE STUDIO N BOB SAID NURU WE SHOULD CALL THE SONG MUHOGO ANDAZI AND I WENT LIKE HAHAHAAHA WE MJINGA NINI, UTANIITAJE MM ANDAZI AND THEN I STARTED SINGING CAUSE THE MELODY JUST CAME TO ME AND I SANG WE MUHOGO WEE AND HE ANSWERED ANDAZI WE AND THATS THE STORY OF HOW IT ALL STARTED. THIS SONG HAS ITS ON HISTORY BECAUSE SO MANY THINGS HAPPENED WHILE RECORDING LIKE COMPUTER DIED ON US WHILE RECORDING..,
Nuru at the studio recording 'MUHOGO ANDAZI'
JG: How long did it take to shoot the video?
NURU: THE VIDEO TOOK 4HOURS ONLY TO SHOOT BECAUSE I ALWAYS COME PREPARED ON MY VIDEO SHOOT AND OTHERS.
JG: Tell us about the team behind the video, Who wrote the ‘Muhogo Andazi’, who produced it and who was your glam squad ? Who are you wearing? We’re style spotting already and we spot Chichia London, are we right?
NURU: THE SONG WAS RECORDED AT AT SHAROBARO RECORDS IN MAGOMENI AND BOB JUNIOR MR CHOCOLATE FLAVOUR PRODUCED THE SONG AND WROTE MOST OF THE LYRICS BUT MELODIES AND HARMONIES THAT WE DID BOTH ME AND HIM.
THE TEAM BEHIND WAS VISUAL LAB WITH ADAM JUMA AS A VIDEO DIRECTOR WHO CAME WITH HIS CREW AND MAKE UP PEOPLE BUT I DID MY MAKE UP ALL BY MYSELF SINCE I KNEW EXACTLY WHICH KIND OF LOOK I WANTED FOR THE SHOOT. I WORE MAC FOUNDATION AS A BASE AND I DONT HAVE ANYTHING ELSE EXCEPT THAT AND THE RED LIPS OFFCOZ.
I WORE TWO DRESSES BY CHICHIA LONDON AND TWO DRESSES FROM H&M. I WORE A COPPAR BRACELET/NECKLACE AND BANGLES FROM MADE BY AFRICA ANOTHER TANZANIAN BRAND MAKING GOOD STUFF. AND MR CHOCOLATE FLAVOUR WORE HIS YOUTHFULL SWAGG.,
Nuru at the shoot of her new video 'MUHOGO ANDAZI'
JG: Wow! You did a great job with the make up, now our favourite part, Talk us through wardrobe for the music video.
NURU: WHEN IT COMES TO MY WARDROBE FOR THE VIDEO I USUALLY PUT TOGETHER EVERYTHING THE NIGHT BEFORE AND I EAN EVERYTHING, FROM THE ACCESSORIES,TO SHOES,UNDERWEAR AND THE ACTUAL DRESS OR PANTS. I DO SO BECAUSE I WANNA COME PREPARED AND IT SAVES A LOT OF TIME WHEN YOU ARE IN LOCATION AND IT'S STRESS FREE. FOR THIS ONE IT WAS VERY EASY SINCE I KNEW AM WEARING CHICHIA AND MY LONG GREEN MAXI DRESS AND I WAS GOOD TO GO WHICH YOU ALL CAN SEE. YA ANOTHA THING DO YOU KNOW THAT I DID MY MAKE UP ON THE WAY TO LOCATION USING A SIGHT MIRROR OF THE CAR HAHAHAAHAH...,AND HOW GREAT IT TURNED OUT TO BE..,
JG: What should we look forward to next from Nuru?
NURU: AM NOT JUST A SINGER AM ALSO A FASHION BLOGGER, SO YOU SHOULD EXPECT A LOT MORE FROM ME CAUSE THERE IS MORE COMING INSHALLAH!!
JG: Do you have a message for our readers and your fans?
NURU: MY MESSAGE TO ALL THE READERS IS THAT WE AS BLACK WOMEN SHOULD LEARN TO LOVE YOURSELF,TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER, LOVE ONE ANOTHER AND BE GREAT ROLE MODELS TO OUR CHILDREN,THE TIME FOR A CHANGE HAS COME THAT WHEN YOU SEE YOUR FELLOW SISTER TRYING TO MAKE IT LEND HER A HAND AND WALK WITH HER AND TELL HER GO FOR IT BECAUSE SHE IS WORTH IT. AHSANTE!
Check out the video 'MUHOGO ANDAZI' BELOW':
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME NURU & WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST!!
JG
XOXOXOXOXOXO
For more on Nuru visit her blog NURU THE LIGHT
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