Page 55 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 2

can - just by a click - destroy in an For me it’s always been that way people to do it? You tried and
instant. in all the churches I’ve gone to, then thought you were drawn
it’s always been instrumentalists. away, but now that you’re
You’ve been in the music Most of these instrumentalists also back, how do you maintain
industry in Kenya for a while, play in the ‘secular’ world. it?
and I think you have also gone Also in churches I find that they When someone starts a journey
don’t give 100%. Some churches
from doing ‘gospel today and there has to be a turning point. For
have this state of the art equipment,
club music tomorrow’. You me the turning point that made me
but what comes out of it? They wait
know, all that back and forth stop working was when I decided
for Don Moen or Travis Greene to
things. What do you think of I can’t sit at a desk, even though
come to Kenya, then now that’s
the gospel music industry in when they put out the best of the I’m not going to have any money,
Kenya? best, and yet at an event I go to, I won’t sit at a desk. I left and said
To be very honest I would prefer I’m like this equipment looks so I’m never going to do that work
the secular world, not because shoddy, but the things people are again, not at any one point. In
secular music is much more hip and doing with it! my music I realized that I’m not
energetic. It’s just that I sometimes So, I’m conflicted. The same healing myself, I am more or less
think there’s much more effort pastors who say, “How can we pay destroying myself and separating
put into it and much more spirit. musicians and we’re not paying my soul from a path that I’m
Whichever spirit people claim ushers?” It’s how people see. If supposed to be taking. That
secular musicians use, they forget people handled musicians the way feeling of where you feel empty,
that God has given them that gift. they handled the Levites in Israel that feeling of when it has reached
I’ve been to a couple of churches it, would probably be a different its peak - that’s when you’ll know
and this is what happens. Practice story but that’s my opinion. I that now you have to go back.
starts at 10am on a Saturday like the professionalism and the Until you understand that feeling,
and runs let’s say 10-1pm. The heart of the secular, because sometimes I feel that you might
instrumentalists arrive at 9:30, the musicians I have played with just have to go again, do again
9:40. 10, those are the people sometimes play from the heart to until it will hit you that actually
who are disciplined, there are also the point where I wonder that such you’re empty. I think that’s what
people who are undisciplined. a small number of people can people might need to realize. But
When they arrive, the first thing that create that amount of sound. They for those who can follow without
they do is they start going through give 100%. even having to go through it, even
the songs that they have already What I’m hearing you talk better for them.
been going through at home. The
about is sort of like the path Thank you Noel for your time
vocalists come and it is a whole to finding your genuine self
process relearning the song, and You are welcome.
the vocalists have their own voices and your genuine voice. How
would you encourage other
24/7, the instrumentalists don’t.