One on one with Avril Nyambura

Avril, whose real name is Judith Nyambura Mwangi, was recently feted in her hometown Nakuru for her contribution to the local music industry. Nation.co.ke caught up with her to find out plans she has for the county:

How does it feel to be celebrated by your home county?

It is the first time I have been presented with such an award and I am extremely humbled.

In your partnership with the county, what will be your area of focus?
My plans are geared towards young people in the arts in my county. I am blessed to have a career in this field and it is time to pass the baton, especially now that the county government is supporting me.

Will you focus on music alone and for what duration?
I have been fortunate enough to pursue both music and acting as well as dabble behind the scenes in film production. With the support of various stakeholders in the arts and entrepreneurship there’s more that I can package and share. As for duration, I hope it will be for a lifetime.

READ: Avril is a hustler in the movie ‘World Tofauti’

Do you think Nakuru has fully exploited its potential in terms of talent and in your opinion, what needs to be done?
The arts industry in Nakuru has grown so much over the past couple of years making it a hub of companies investing in the arts. Many major country concerts make a stopover here and strive to have artistes from the county on stage. It can definitely be improved by refining their talent and investing in upcoming producers and directors in audio and visual sectors.

In your rise to a music star, what are some of the challenges you went through?
The arts industry is made to seem unappealing because of the intense investment one has to make from the start through either family or sponsorship. You have to persevere through this tough time when no one will play your music or call you to perform at an event. But if you focus on building your brand eventually it works out. I see it not as a challenge but as a character builder. When you have an idea of where you are going, and it is your true calling, the stars always align themselves.

In my observation, there are very few women in Nakuru in the music industry. What do you think is the challenge and what should be done?
I agree. I had very few female acts during my homecoming concert in April yet there are talented ladies out there. My aim for 2018 is to get to address this in partnership with industry stakeholders in the county.

What new things should we expect from you? More music as usual but most importantly, youth mentorship.

What is your advice to the youth in Nakuru and Kenya in general?
You are enough. I dream of more youth producing music and films that will take them to the international stage. If you put your heart and soul into it, you can achieve anything.