THE TRIBE

The Tribe Exclusive - Khadijah Mouton

Lekker hitmaker Khadijah stepped back into our studios to share her latest musical endeavours. She also talks about the artists who inspire her, what it takes to make lekker music, the challenges that Namibian musicians face and life as a multitasking mom.

LET’S GET INTO THE MUSIC. WHO ARE THE BIGGEST INFLUENCES ON YOUR WORK?

I’ll name two because when it comes to music, I’m both an entertainer and a writer. From a performance element, of course it’s Beyoncé. She’s just such a powerhouse woman and performer and like her, when I go on stage, I perform! So I love watching Beyoncé and I love her work ethic.

When it comes to the writing and the depth of music, it’s André 3000. I have this big admiration for his style and poetry and his weirdness when it comes to outfits.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY THAT YOU THINK WE CAN WORK AROUND?

The biggest challenge is funding. To shoot a really good music video, you’ll need at least N$50 000. But for a lot of us, especially upcoming artists, we are doing what we can with our resources. We’re being creative. Another challenge we have is substance abuse. I believe in performing sober. You have so much control that way and you can feel the vibe even when you’re sober. We have a lot of challenges, yes, but we really also have the power to get out of it because even the biggest artists started somewhere.

YOUR SONG LEKKER TOOK TO SOCIAL MEDIA LIKE A BIRD IN THE SKY. WHAT INSPIRED IT?

Lekker was inspired by the beat. Nasho sent me three beats and that’s the only one that stood out to me. The beat is fun, it’s like Amapiano and I like how it transitions to Trap.

Mind you, I’ve never made an Afrikaans song before so this was a first.

IS THE SONG PART OF A BIGGER PROJECT?

I want to do an EP called Lekker Music. It’s definitely going to be a dancey kind of project because I love making people dance, also as a DJ. I have a few concepts in the stash so there’s definitely a project coming out.

NOT ONLY DO YOU WEAR THE DJ HAT, YOU'VE ALSO GOT AN 8-5 AND YOU MAKE MUSIC. HOW DO YOU DO IT ALL?

Yes, I’m a mom, but I’m also still young. So when I had a baby, I felt like I became even more of myself. When I got pregnant with Nation, I was halfway through a degree. The day before I gave birth, I wrote a test. I was just that person who wasn't going to let anything hold her back. Three weeks after Nation was born I had a job interview. It felt like after having her, things just started to fall into place.

That’s how my life has been, an adventure. I feel like not giving up on myself makes me a better mom.

Watch as Khadijah’s star continues to rise by following her on Instagram @khadijah_adventuretime on Facebook - Khadijah Adventure-Time, and on Twitter @Khadijah_amor.

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