Mercy Masika: Rising Again

In the Groove awards 2008, you won more than just the trophies, right?

Yes, I won awards, two plasma TV screens and a smart phone. I won as the Best Female Artiste and the Artiste of the Year.

That sparked controversy, if memory serves me right.

Yes, mostly from fellow artistes, which I understood. The thing is, the two categories I won in had been sponsored with gifts. If I didn’t win, then another artiste would have won. There was nothing wrong with that.

Then you disappeared from the industry?

Let me say, life changed a lot for me.

What happened?

I got married the same year and family came into the picture. I had to concentrate on family first and that took a lot of my time.

There are many musicians who have been able to handle both family and music. What was different in your case?

After getting all the glory and awards in my music, I didn’t know that I needed a good strategy and enough forces around me, especially the financial side, to keep my music career afloat. It became difficult to put everything in place. At the end of the day, it became a little harder to release more music.

Weren't you signed in any record label then that could help you put everything in place?

I was working with R-Kay then, who had done two of my albums. But he had other artistes to take care of too, so it was difficult for him to put all his energy on my music. But he has been there to guide me in my career in a big way.

How is your family doing?

They are all good. We have two children now and my husband David is working hard to push my music to another level. He believes in me more than anybody else I’ve ever known.

Is your husband in the music industry and how did you meet?

Not directly, but he does TV production. We met at a friend’s wedding where I was performing and he was filming the wedding.

How did that progress to you guys getting married?

He planned a date much later and the day we met, we both knew that we were meant for each other. Within a year, we had tied the knot. It took us a short time to date.

What has changed now?

I have been on a rock bottom mode, but have now picked myself up, ready to rise higher. I have a new song out called ‘Ndiye’, which I actually launched last week. It talks about how many mighty things God can do for us. He can pick us from our lowest moments and make us shine bright.

How was your growing up as a child?

I grew up in the village, raised by very hard working parents, who are both pastors up to date. We rarely lacked the basic needs, so it was easy.

Are you the only one doing music in your family?

For a very long time, I have been the singer in the family. I come from a family of four and I’m the second born. Our last born brother is getting into the music industry now, he just recorded a song the other day. But he is a great guitarist.

How did you get into the music industry?

Believe it or not, I did my first album when I was 11, called ‘Nobody like Jesus’. I was singing on Joy Bringers and other popular TV shows then.

Did you do another album while still a child?

Not until I got to Form One when I released ‘Roses will Bloom Again’. I was a star through high school and that affected my life too.

How?

By being popular, I had to live right. I had to be the role model to many people, especially because I was into gospel music. But my music career also took shape with all the glory around me.

More albums?

Yes, after high school I released two more albums, ‘Amokomete’ in 2001 and ‘Milele’ in 2008.

What has been you biggest life lesson so far?

I have enjoyed having everything my way, but I thank God I hit rock bottom at some point in my life. Somebody told me that once you hit rock bottom in life, it is God’s way of preparing you for places you have never imagined. I probably did music to be famous then, but now I know I have a purpose to spread God’s message to His people.

Any more music coming soon?

Yes, I’m already working on an album, but will be releasing songs back to back from now on.

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