Songwriter and guitarist Berita talks to ZAlebs about her latest album and her journey as an afro-soul artist.
Hi Berita and welcome to ZAlebs.
Thanks very much.
Now Berita we did some research and we found out that you were born in Zimbabwe and moved to live in the Eastern Cape? How was the transition from living in Zimbabwe to the Eastern Cape?
I was born in Zimbabwe kwa Bulawayo in 1991, I did my primary and high school there. When I was 16 my parents got an opportunity to go and work for daily pharmacy in New Zealand. So that’s how I ended up moving to New Zealand and completed my high school there. When I completed my high school all I wanted to do was to come back home. So luckily I was hunting for school for me to study and I got an opportunity to go and study in Eastern Cape and that’s how I landed there.
As the youth we currently turning it up and you chose to do Afro-Soul music, can you please tell us why you chose to do Afro soul music?
I think I’ve been very cautious because I’ve always wanted to sing about a message that’s just bigger than myself. All I wanted to do was to sing music that people can relate to.
Your big break came when you released uThandolwethu, tell us how did you feel with the respond that you got from people?
You know when uThandolwethu came out, I had just done my first album and I was a second year student. uThandolwethu is a special song that I wrote with a friend of mine named Busisiwe. You know it’s a song that we wrote when we first met, she’s a musician as well. I think the story of the song is more of Busisiwe, because it’s what really happened to her. To be honest I was really surprised by the responds. I also feel blessed because every time when I sing that song people have an emotional connection with my voice and with my sound
With the good music that you do, tell us about Berita winning the 12th Metro Award for Best Pop African album?
Well winning that award really opened doors for me, it allowed me to play in bigger festivals it allowed me to have something under my name, because every year there is a new artist and some make it and some don’t.
Congratulations on your new album, can you please tell us about your new album? And who have you worked with?
The new album is very exciting because I thought I was going to release this album only next year but thank fully everything went according to plan. The album is called Songs of Empowerment. Basically for the longest time you must understand that it’s been two years since I haven’t released an album and people have been asking for an album. I am lucky enough to work with Bra Hugh Masilela and Oliver Motukutsi.
Why did you name your new album Songs Of Empowerment?
I named it Songs of empowerment because I wanted to sing songs for the people and not for myself. I remember my first album one thing that I had in mind was to release an album and become famous so it was all about me and not about the people.
If you could dabble in another genre of music, what would it be?
You know I love what I do because wherever I go I always carry a guitar with me and that’s what I love.
Who would you most like to open for?
I would really love to open for Jonathan Batler.
Plans for December holidays?
Yes my plan is to travel around South Africa and share my music with people