Flashmag this month is in London to meet with a talented artist. Born in Jamaica from an American mother and a Jamaican father, Nyanda had her first breakthrough with the duo Brick and Lace everybody is still remembering the global hit song love is wicked released in 2009, now a solo artist Nyanda took a few minute of her precious time to give us an open talk about herself and music career .

Flashmag: Hello Nyanda I’m Hubert Marlin, chief editor of Flashmag the Vanguard Magazine, we are based in Miami and publishing in French and English. With our readership we are happy to have you as the guest star of the upcoming edition of Flashmag.

First about in this talk we will delve into your debut career before getting in the aim of if, to conclude with your next goals. Thanks for your gratitude to accept our interview. I hope you won’t be bothered by my French accent during this talk.

Nyanda: (Smiles) Hello bonjour comment ça va? (Nyanda speaking French :” hello how are you doing “?)

Flashmag : je vais bien merci (i’m fine thanks)

Flashmag: first about I will start by the beginning you were born in Jamaica from a Jamaican father and an American mother. If it's true thatJamaica is a country with a huge musical background where a lot of young peoples want to emulate great musicians like Peter Tosh Jimmy Cliff or Bob Marley, but still; I would like to know what took you to the music? why did you chose to be a singer?

Nyanda: we started our group early my sister and I, the younger was simply too young to join the venture she was about 2, We started singing in church and created a group named the Thorbourne Sisters.

I don’t think I chose the music the music chose me, since my early teens I’ve been in the business of music nonstop.

Flashmag: at what time you felt this was your way?

Nyanda: Very early we were introduced to the world of music by Sharon a music manager in Jamaica, she opened that world for us she was the doorway, we performed among some greatest Jamaicans musicians and we felt like whoa! This is what we want to do.

Flashmag: this was in the early 90s when you entered the music arena doing backing vocals for some of the greatest Jamaican musicians like Marcia Griffiths, Beres Hammond and Diana King, what represent this time for you?

Nyanda: it’s was a great blessing for me to be among all those stars a moment of learning the craft of music. A great experience.

Flashmag: In 2006 you signed with the Konvict Music /Universal this remain the turning point of your career with your sister how this happened?

Nyanda: We were already in the music scene so we had the chance to meet many peoples. After a video shooting we meet with Akon, he got interested in our compositions and gave us a trial that’s how all started. Later He gave us a contract with Konvict Music.

Flashmag: With Brick and Lace you gained worldwide fame with love is wicked how this success affected the person you are and your apprehension of music?

Nyanda: it was something great it’s true it hasn’t changed really the person I am but definitely to reach that success was amazing. It also encouraged me to work harder to keep that challenge. The journey continues and I feel excited.

Flashmag: After this success the public is still waiting for a sophomore album from Brick and Lace can you tell us why?

Nyanda:well we haven’t found time to finish with that, too many other projects to focus on right now, and we won’t just release something just because we want to put something on the market it has to be well conceived to see the needs of our public.

Flashmag: Since 2013 you decided to launch your solo career why?

Nyanda: I had to rediscover who I’m ,definite my own self anyway I think it was time to give a new direction to my career, it’s true , I was taking a risk because people know me as Nyanda from the group Brick and Lace. At first, that detachment felt scary as hell, but I'm growing as an artist and I feel my fans are growing with me.

Flashmag: So far how do you appreciate your solo career?

Nyanda: it’s a great feeling, I feel I can do many more things focusing on myself, but I know I have to keep growing, move on.

Flashmag: I will be a little bit personal, I hope it won’t hurt your sensibility but it’s a question always loved by fans of female musicians. Women in the stage have the benefit of a broader exposure and some says it easy for them to make a choice to find a better partner in life what do you answer about that? Being a star has helped you always having somebody in your life or not?

Nyanda: I think it’s difficult to focus on both it’s never easy, some people can think it easy for us yet we are just like any other peoples in relationship… it can be great or painful at a certain point, since love come sometimes with pain. But our love lives are no different of those of common peoples, nowadays it can even be more challenging, when you are an artist, because you have to keep everything balanced. For me the man I would like to have needs to be secure in his own life first, because it’s important to have a stable relationship. I know some fans sometimes are trying to take their like of our music further, and they may misunderstand that the person in stage has also a private life that she manage a different way from her career. Anyway I think it’s easier for ordinary women than for us women in stage, to have relationships.

Flashmag: How is your love life affecting your art?

Nyanda: I don’t try to mingle both I stay focused first on my art It’s one the best love of my life.

Flashmag: You are one of the few artists that write almost all their songs what is your main inspiration while writing songs?

Nyanda:Everything in life as a meaning and it’s source of inspiration, I have been working also with great composer like Black Lion, and Kemar the son of Marcia Griffiths together we have created the Bloodline Entertainment crew we have written for artists like of Christina Aguilera, Nicole Scherzinger, Jennifer Lopez and Wisin & Yandel.

Flashmag: as you mentioned you are member of Bloodline Entertainment, a crew that wrote song for the like of Christina Aguilera, Nicole Scherzinger, Jennifer Lopez and Wisin & Yandel. Why did you choose to put your skills to serve other musicians?

Nyanda: it’s all about the love of music first, it’s an amazing feeling to turn those words to music. And it’s always important to reach out to others in their projects.

Flashmag: As a singer that has known the 90 s’ and the 2000s’ some will say the 90s’ were the glorious years for the music while the 2000s’ helped to take the music to another dimension more commercial and less affective? In the 90s’ we could relate to music by the message but after the 2000s’ we just listen to sounds what can you say about since you are lyrics writer?

Nyanda: I think everybody appreciate the music the way they feel it, I know the lyrics are important it’s simply doesn’t have to be heavy, in the other hand you can be satisfied simply by the way the music sounds, I know the generation of before is always trying to criticize the next one but it’s all cool, the music simply evolve with the time this is a fact that has to be understood.

Flashmag: You seem to have a very special relation with Africa how African rhythms influence your art?

Nyanda: Yes as a Jamaican we grow thinking about Africa; this is a place where we want to go at least once in our life time. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel there for music business, I have performed there and collaborated with many African artists. I call my fans NYATRIBE as a tribute to my African fans. In Africa the energy of fans is huge. This is a place where you can feel love vibrates in the air. I have collaborated with the Congolese artist Barbara Kanam, Muss from Cote d’Ivoire and made a song with South African dj's Euphonik and Fresh.

Flashmag:Also talking about Africa you were appointed In February 2014, Goodwill Ambassador for REACH A HAND UGANDA, how do you deal with this new responsibility?

Nyanda: Normally, I take it as a new opportunity to reach out to others.

Flashmag: As an artist when you look down at your career now, do you feel satisfied of what you have done so far? If it has to be done again what will you change?

Nyanda: this is a weird question? Everything I have done so far has enriched my artistry, I think everything we do, every challenge we are facing at a certain point in our career, helps in the buildup of who we are. I f I had to make it a different way maybe I will choose not to have so many arguments with Nyla my sister.

Flashmag: musicians come and go, how do you want to mark the public with your art and career?

Nyanda: I have made a song named “footprints” I definitely will try to mark my time, bring my special touch to the music. Take my career as higher as possible.

Flashmag: After the single Trouble and "Slippery When Wet what do you have in store for us more featuring with several other artist before the album?

Nyanda: after Slippery When Wet I have contributed to many other projects like the single Run away with Ian Thomas, that is been performing good on European charts

Flashmag: Talking about the upcoming album what can we expect of it? When will be released this new opus ?

Nyanda: We have been releasing singles bits by bits the public has had a taste of what is going to be, and the reception has been very positive so far. The album will be released around the first quarter of the next year; I’m wrapping up stuff now in studio. My European tour is scheduled to March 2015

Flashmag: Before closing this talk do you have a special word toward the public?

Nyanda: I would like to thanks all the fans and the music addicts. Peace and love happy greeting seasons.

Flashmag:Nyanda Flashmag and its readership thank you for this open talk good luck for the rest.

Interview Realized by Hubert Marlin Elingui Jr.

Journalist Writer