THE TRIBE

featuring Shishani

Namibian singer/songwriter Shishani may be based in the Netherlands but her roots remain firmly placed in Namibia, her motherland. We caught up with her to hear about her latest projects, her determination to stay connected to Namibian stories and when we can expect her again in the Land of the Brave.

Where are you finding yourself in the world right now?

Right now I’m in Amsterdam. This has been my base for the past three to four years so it’s been a while since I’ve been home, and I miss it.

What drives your passion for zooming into Namibian stories?

Well, it’s always been a challenge to find a balance because I’m always like ‘guys, you don’t know anything about Namibia, why can’t I find anything in the libraries, why couldn’t I find any CDs in the music shops?’. So there was always this longing to find material from home and I really wanted to contribute towards creating that material. Five years ago I started the Namibian Tales project which was about diving into learning how to sing in Oshiwambo and learning the rhythms. For me, being connected to where I’m from, I always wanted to share that because in the Netherlands, if you’re a person of colour, people will always ask ‘but where are you from?’.

Tell us about your all-women collaborations in the Netherlands...

Looking back on the projects I’ve done in the past, I realised that I wanted to centre women more. I wanted to record music with an all-women band, I wanted to centre women of colour from all over the world. For me it’s really important to tell our stories and to show women excelling in music as an example to young girls. The voices of women have always been silenced so I wanted to find female artists, and I found all types of artists to create something special together.

Covid has hit us really hard, how have you survived in this time?

For me it has been really interesting because I’ve had even more opportunities during this time. With the Black Lives Matter movement and all the other issues that have come to the fore, people started to see that they need music that speaks about these issues. As long as I’ve been making music I’ve been making socially-engaged music – even though it was never a hip thing. So all of a sudden the hotline started ringing and opportunities came pouring in.

What can Namibians learn from the Dutch music industry?

For me it’s all about support. We need financial support, we need venues and we need partners. In the Netherlands we have institutions that provide funding and spaces where people can develop their skills. Therefore I will say it’s all about finance and it’s really about understanding the value of art. All of us are depending on the arts to keep us mentally sane, yet we don’t want to pay artists and we don’t want to invest in the arts. It’s not just about charity when you support the arts, you’re keeping your communities healthy.

Can we see you onstage anytime soon?

I’m dropping a new single which I’m really excited about. There are also a couple of online events to look out for – and I’m really hoping to come home soon.

To keep up with Shishani, follow her on Instagram @Shishani.music and on Twitter @ShishaniV.

Watch The Tribe on One Africa TV (GOtv 90, DStv 284, DStv Now) every Friday at 18h30 with repeat shows on Saturdays at 17h30, and Mondays at 21h00.

Alternatively, listen to The Tribe on 99FM every Friday at 19h00, and follow The Tribe on Instagram @thetribenamibia and on Facebook @TheTribeNamibia.

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