Gospel singer hungers on

ELIZABETH WAITHERA alias CHUCHU            PHOTO:COURTESY

By SHIRLEY GENGA

Generation Next: How long have you been a singer?

Chuchu: I have been singing ever since I can remember, but professionally, I have been at it for about 18 months now.

GN: Can you list down the singles you have released so far?

C: I have two singles out —Upendo and the new one Beautiful. I have not featured anyone; both are solo efforts.

GN: How would you describe your sound?

C: I am a versatile artiste who has worked on several projects that have turned out rather good.

GN: Which producers and musicians are you currently working with? 

C: Jacky B and Saint P (Producers), while Ken Eddy Krezi and Guardian Angel are the musicians I have active projects with at the moment.

GN: Most local musicians rarely release an album, any chance we will get one from you soon?

C: I will hope to go against the grain by having an album ready by mid  this year.

GN: What is your career highlight so far?

C: It would have to be the release of my first single last year. After I released Upendo, it did exceptionally well. It opened up numerous doors in my career including business partnerships and some top nominations.

GN: Why gospel music and not secular?

C: I have a Christian upbringing with strong Christian beliefs instilled in me at a tender age. As such, it is not surprising that I ended up in the church choir and to what I am currently engaged in.

GN: What do you like most about being a gospel musician?

C: It is fulfilling. I get to praise the Lord, entertain and positively impact the society.

GN: Breaking into the competitive gospel industry is no easy feat. What are some of the challenges you face as a young and upcoming gospel singer?

C: I would say the greatest challenge for any new artiste is the lack of faith in new talent by the industry. This can easily demotivate, or break the weak hearted.  That is why you have to be determined and know what you want.

GN: As a gospel musician, how do you keep yourself grounded to ensure you do not get negative publicity, or get caught up in ‘un-gospel’ incidents?

C: Fame can be a dangerous thing; your life is constantly under scrutiny and so in order to keep myself grounded, I try to live each day at a time by staying true and in touch with my inner self. I constantly have to remind myself why I chose to do this.

 

GN: Tell us a little about your background?

C: I grew up in Limuru, the third born in a family of four. As mentioned earlier, my parents brought us up in a Christian environment and values.

GN: Can you survive on music alone, or has the industry not grown to that point?

C: The music industry is at a good place at the moment with lucrative prospects going forward. It, however, is a delicate web involving an artiste’s strategy and their management team. If you have the right team working with you, you should be okay. I have been able to make some good returns from my work.

GN: Are you working on any new projects?

C: Yes. I have another song hot in the kitchen that I believe will take the industry by storm. Watch this space.

GN: Apart from music, do you do anything else? 

C: No, I am a full time artiste.

GN: Are you dating?

C: No. I am fully focused on my career at the moment.

GN: You are very stylish. What is the style code you live by?

C: I dress to my comfort. If I feel good in it, I wear it.

GN: What do you do for fun?

C: Song writing, which I believe is my best attribute. 

GN: Advice for young and aspiring musicians who want to follow in your footsteps?

C: In order to succeed in this industry and to make a name for yourself, you simply have to remain focused and hungry for success.

GN: What are your future plans?

C: In the short term, I intend to finish working on my album — I have lovely songs in there that I know my fans will appreciate. My long-term plans include, among other things, to launch a women’s foundation group. I should be releasing details on that later in the year. I would also like to set up my own audio-visual production house.