Nneka: Peace, love and revolution

• Nigerian songstress Nneka Egbuna’s musical activism has been likened to the iconic legend Lauryn Hill and which has touched many souls across the world. Nneka has been in Kenya and BONIFACE MWALII sought to find out just what makes her special.

What brings you to Kenya?

I’m on an East African tour and Kenya happens to be my first stop. From here I’m headed to Kigali in Rwanda then Kampala, Uganda and finally perform at the Sauti Za Busara Festival in Zanzibar.

This is my first time in Kenya and East Africa and I’m thankful to the Goethe Institute and Spark Africa for making it possible for me to be here.

What do you hope to achieve in the duration of your stay here?

I just want to share my music with the people and enter their hearts. That is what drives me to keep doing music.

I will also be taking part in some workshops with fellow artistes to share information and experiences with them.

I’m hoping to meet talented artistes who do real music and possibly collaborate with them.

How would you describe your sound?

My music is simply heartfelt. I have not been able to put it in any category.

I just sing from the heart without really being concerned with how I sound.

My focus is to spread my message but if I had to stereotype my style by placing it in a specific genre, I would say it is an eclectic contemporary blend of African and Western sounds. Call it Afro soul hip hop.

Most of your songs and albums seem to carry heavy titles, is there any particular reason for that?

My latest album ‘Soul Is Heavy’ is just that.

As for the similarly titled song, it’s a reminder of what Nigerians have had to endure over the years.

It talks about the oppressive Abacha regime, exploitation by Shell and events like the Biafran war.

The video was even used to promote the Occupy Nigeria campaign.

‘Things fall Apart’ had no relation to the book by Chinua Achebe although I grew up reading a lot of his and Wole Soyinka’s books.

When I re-read the book I realised I could really relate to the character of Obi.