The Sunday News
Nkosilesisa Ncube, Sunday Life Reporter
A FEW years ago, the name Awakhiwe Sibanda would not have rung a bell in anyone’s mind but now with one Zim hip-hop award, one documentary, a performance in Germany and a BBC interview, one cannot speak of female hip-hop stars without mentioning AWA as she is popularly known. The award winning musician took time out of her busy schedule to sit down with Sunday Life and share her story.
Sunday Life (SL): In detail, who is Femcee AWA?
AWA: AWA (African Women Arise) is a 24-year-old female hip-hop artiste from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. AWA mixes hip-hop with her Ndebele cultural style, rapping in SiNdebele and her style is unique. She started rapping in 2012 and recorded her first single at Makokoba Township Records and she spread her wings and she is now working with Outhere Records in Germany. AWA is more of a movement for African women than just a musician and she tries to bring that out in her music.
SL: Is Awakhiwe Sibanda the individual from AWA the artiste?
AWA: Definitely! I do not think I am anything like AWA the artiste, people do not even recognise me when I am not in my costume. AWA inspires me so much with her vibrant performances and her cultural style. She has been through a lot not only as an artiste but as a woman and she has managed to pull through and Zimbabwe Hip Hop Awards recently crowned her the Best Female Artist 2016 and AWA, the individual is very proud of AWA the artiste.
SL: A few years ago, no one knew who you were, and now you’re an international star, with a docufilm in your honour, how does it feel knowing you have accomplished more in the year than most people do in their entire careers, what is your secret?
AWA: The secret is to be humble and do your best. Whenever an opportunity knocks grab it with both hands and make the most of it. Learn as much as you can from those who walked the path before you. Show people you mean business and they will take you seriously and work as hard as you can. Another secret is patience. I have been going around in circles for years.
There were times when things were not working or I would be so broke that I almost quit but patience pinched me and told me to hang on and I am glad I did.
SL: You’re a woman in rap music, which is still a pretty new thing, how do you manage to survive knowing that your competition is mostly of the opposite sex?
AWA: It is not easy to be in a male-dominated industry. So many people think it’s a “guy thing” to rap. They associate rapping with being promiscuous or lesbianism. They question your qualities as a woman. I used to feel so out of place hanging with the boys backstage wondering if I have what it takes but when something is your calling nothing matters, you just want to do your thing and chase your dreams. I chose to femininely represent women and address issues that affect women which is why my stage name is African Women Arise. Women should have freedom of expression and times have changed, we now have a say. I was the only female nominee on the Best Hip-hop hustle category and People’s Choice category (Zim hip-hop awards) and even though I did not win it shows that women in hip-hop are slowly but surely getting there.
SL: Who do you feel you owe your success to?
AWA: I owe a lot of people for all the blessings this year. God always comes first. It takes a village to make AWA. I feel like AWA is a sum total of the efforts of a lot of people. Ruth Daniel and the rest of the In Place Of War team; Maximillian Thurlow, Georg Milz, Outhere Records,Ghanaian Stallion who produced my debut album (African Women Arise) and then Sharon Ntuta with the amazing costumes. AWA would not come to life with all these people. Also everyone who has supported me since day one has helped shape who I am as an artiste. I wouldn’t have come this far if it was not for every one of those people.
SL: What have you planned for 2017?
AWA: Now that I have shared my story with people across the world. I think it is the perfect time to give people an album and videos as well. The world knows me now, the world is ready for me and I am ready to release an album. Outhere records will release my debut album African Women Arise produced by Ghanaian Stallion who is one of the best producers in Germany and has worked with the biggest hip-hop artistes in Germany. The album will be out 2017 and we will take it from there.
Apart from winning numerous awards, AWA has performed at local festivals such as Shoko, Intwasa and at Cape to Cairo’s Bigger than Hip-hop concerts. She has shared the stage with the likes of Cassper Nyovest, Megaloh and the German Voices Of the Revolution.
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