With passion and patience, you can succeed in a nonconventional career

From left: Actress and dancer Ruth Ndulu Maingi, Independent documentary photographer Joel Lukhovi, Graffiti artist Bebeto Thufu Ochieng

Philly Lydia Ojallah (Dj Aisher) of Ransomart Production and gospel musician Mercy Masika. PHOTOS| COURTESY

They seem to be always involved in star-studded, red-carpet events that command huge followings on social media that make their contemporaries green with envy. Yet many of them shunned the traditional, “respectable” careers for what are viewed more as hobbies. What’s the secret to their success? We spoke to five people who took the road less travelled.

RUTH NDULU MAINGI

Actress, dancer

Ruth, who is passionate about the performing arts, has starred in a number of local TV shows including Makutano Junction, Wash and Set, Saints, Lies that Bind and the award-winning Mama Duka.  

“In Kenya, there is a misconception that acting is not a profession, that one cannot survive on it, and that is where problems arise for those in it for fame but lack passion,” she says.

She asserts that she is an actress by choice, since she even quit a regular job to concentrate on training to improve her acting.

“I went through auditions, enrolled at the Kenya Performing Arts Group (KPAG) and studied the arts, including dance, for two years,” she says.

But entering the acting scene was not a bed of roses for Ruth, and on many occasions she felt like giving up.

“Initially, the roles you get as a new actor are as an extra, which means people do not treat you as nicely as they treat those they consider the key players in a production. Sometimes I got rained on and was paid very little, which was very discouraging,” she says.

Ruth adds that, to be an actor, you must be prepared to work odd hours. And you always have to be ready to move and take on tasks at short notice.

“Once you enter into a contract, your life stops being yours and you are on call 24/7. This makes it very difficult to take up another job or commit to any other thing so overall, this is a very demanding job,” she says.

Her message to budding actors?

“It is fun to do what you love but it is definitely not a walk in the park. You have to keep an open mind and be willing to learn. Every project or engagement comes with its lessons, adventures and surprises. But above all, stay focused, disciplined, resilient and humble.”

But despite her achievement and recognition she has earned, even winning the Best Lead Actress in the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards for her role in Mama Duka in 2014, there are still moments she feels like quitting.

“There are times I have watched my work and wished I had done better.  I have doubted whether I was meant to be an actor. Then there are dry seasons, when everything is slow. Thoughts of getting an 8 to 5 job cross my mind,” she says.

And like in any other career, education and continuous learning are an integral part of growth.

“Training did not seem urgent when I was starting out but along the way I felt the need to learn more. And there is a lot to learn, especially if you want to be good at what you do,” she says.

JOEL LUKHOVI

Independent documentary photographer

Joel had to choose between continuing with his engineering course at the University of Nairobi and grabbing a two-month opportunity that would enhance his photography skills.

He shelved his course and went to South Africa, marking the beginning of an adventurous and rewarding career in photography.

“I have been in the world of photography since 2009, and it has not been easy. I was still a student when I got in. I started as a commercial photographer, being hired to cover weddings, birthdays and modelling events and gradually, I realised that I had a thing for this,” he says.

Along the way, he met Sylvia Gichia, a photographer —until recently the director of Kuona Trust — who agreed to take him under her wing and train him.

“My greatest breakthrough came with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2011. It was around the time I also officially moved from commercial to documentary photography and since then, I have had photography projects all over the world,” he says.

But getting to this point, Joel says, has taken beating stereotypes, reading extensively and researching as well as going to school in order for him to be taken seriously and to be trusted to execute huge projects and be granted photography residencies.

“There is a tendency to understand photography as simply approving what is in the picture. There is more to a photograph than just an image, there is context, and I think that we are not having enough conversations about images so I would say that photography is not fully understood,” he says.

The other challenge one should be prepared  for is the little recognition photography receives in the country, which translates to poor earnings.

“I am invited to other countries to give talks and exhibit my work and it is only after this recognition that I draw interest here. What I mean is that photography takes passion; it is not just about clicking away,” he cautions.

If you are interested in pursuing photography, Joel advises, first learn about other photographers and their work. This will increase your knowledge of the field, help you understand how people see the world and how they think. Secondly, do not pay attention to the gear  you have and thirdly, read more to expand your imaginative capacity and be able to create images in your head even before you see an actual image.

Joel is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in literature at the University of Nairobi.

PHILLY LYDIA OJALLAH (DJ AISHER)

Ransomart Production

DJ Aisher has impressive credentials: This year alone she has won the Diaspora Night Award, the best newcomer DJ in Germany, and the best DJ North Germany. She is highly ranked in Europe and  played at the Le Criterium Africa (Oscar gala night in Europe) on November 11. And last year she participated in a battle of DJs in in Germany  and emerged the winner. She has also backed up several African artistes, including Flavour, Timaya, Kiss Daniel, J Martins, Sauti Sol, Eddie Kenzo and Maleya.

“Deejaying is like football, if you do not practice, you get out of form, she says.

Aisher’s passion for music started when she was young but she did not exactly link this to a career in Deejaying.

“For me, deejaying began as a hobby; I would play music during my house parties and at friends’ birthday parties using a laptop, or even my mobile phone. Later, I bought a small deejaying machine and taught myself (using YouTube tutorials) how to use it,” she says.

Gradually, she started playing at pubs and small lounges for free in order to build a fan base and familiarise herself with people’s demands.

“My breakthrough came when I volunteered to DJ at a Kenyan event in Berlin. A week later, I started receiving calls for event bookings,” she says, adding that to succeed as a DJ you have to put in a lot of time and energy to learn and practice the art because the life of travelling, enviable  as it might seem, is very demanding of one’s mental and creative energies.

“There is a general feeling that female DJs are not as good as their male counterparts because traditionally, deejaying is seen as a man’s job. So the underestimation of female DJs, especially by those who have not seen them at work, is one of the obstacles I had to deal with from the outset. This misconception meant that if I wanted to get a chance, I had to outdo myself, which meant training, researching and  rehearsing more in order to build a name when I was starting out,” she says.

Another challenge is that high-end gigs are not regular so she needs another job to  supplement her income.

“I would quit my job as a nurse and just concentrate on deejaying if the income was consistent,” she says.

Her advice to those with an eye on deejaying?

“Cultivate your passion for music, be tolerant and patient because you have to deal with all sorts of people. And take time to learn the profession. Money should not be a priority at the beginning; concentrate on getting good skills and techniques through continuous practice. And be ready to learn different types of music genres because that is a plus in this field.”

 

MERCY MASIKA

Gospel musician

Mercy had known all along that she did not want to be employed and since she had always had a passion for music, she took it up and today she is glad that it paid off.

“My getting into music was not accidental; I followed my heart and I am glad that it turned out all right for me,” she says.

“The music industry in Kenya is worth billions of shillings but many people still believe that it is not possible to live off music because traditionally, people did not make money from music and the industry is still quite shaky,” she says of the attitudes and misconceptions about the  industry in the country.

She notes that today, there are more than 30 different ways of  making money from music through avenues like YouTube, performances, concerts, social media and royalties. 

However, she adds,  beyond the glamour that we see in the final product that is music, you need true passion  to learn and improve your skills as well as see your talent mature and pay off.

“Finances to help me pursue my career in music were a great challenge, not to mention that many people looked down on my career choice because they had not heard of many success stories in this area,” she says. She had the additional challenge of  ensuring that she set a precedent that music was a viable career.

Mercy says that the greatest efforts take place behind the scenes; before you see a good performance on stage or get to hear the hit songs that dominate our airwaves, a lot of work has gone into it.

“Sometimes it takes redoing a song several times to get it right – this can take weeks, or even months. A lot of work also goes into the research and backgrounding to make sense of a song and be able to connect with the human soul through music,” she says. “Consistency, focus and confidence are key to success in music.”

“Everything is a step of faith. Life can become drab if you do not take steps of faith. Also, it is important to surround yourself with people who challenge and make you better,” she advises.

Her greatest musical inspiration is Cece Winans.

“Cece is humble even after achieving so much. She has purity of heart, excellence and grace. These are qualities that I aspire to and which I think are important for gospel musicians,” Mercy says.

And like a person in any other career, Mercy has experienced moments of self-doubt. But her passion and God’s grace continue to uphold her, she says, adding, “I am so glad that I have learnt the place of prayer. The presence of God is my strength.”

BEBETO THUFU OCHIENG’

Graffiti artist, BSQ Art

Bebeto Ochieng’ is one of the three people behind BSQ Art, founded in 2011, which specialises in graffiti and street art. Bebeto has always had a passion for art, which he remembers trying out when he was a c hild.

“I have loved art since  I was in primary school. While at the university, I searched for something to do with my free time. After asking around, I was introduced to Patrick Mukabi, who became my mentor,  officially marking the beginning of my art career,” he says.

Bebeto, who holds a diploma in business management from Mount Kenya University and is yet to complete a degree in  in business economics, has exhibited at most of the top art spaces in the country, including the Karen Village Art Centre in Nairobi, the Railways Museum,  and the Kilifi Baobab Cottages. He has also exhibited at the EU headquarters in Belgium and is currently running an exhibition titled  “Nextgen” at the National Museum in Nairobi.

“My career in graffiti art is at a good place right now but it has not always been that way. It took me five years of training and hard work to be able to hold anyone’s attention,” he says. 

Bebeto adds that of the greatest misconceptions about grafitti,is that it  does not pay, which young people thinking of getting into graffiti art should be ready to deal with.

He asserts that  it takes years of learning and understanding  to become a graffiti artist.

If you have an eye on graffiti art, start practising, never give up, work smart, not hard, and practice,” Bebeto advises.

He suspended his degree course after realising that what he was studying was not necessarily building his skills.  However, he did not stop studying and  continues to take up art fellowships to improve his skills.

And because of his passion for the art, he does not experience the pressure  sometimes occasioned by the  uncertainties it comes with.

Bebeto says  there is room for more artists: “We need more graffiti artists in town. This is a big town with just countable graffiti artists around. It is not easy, especially for the first one or two years but after that things start flowing and the money starts rolling in.”