CHINESE-BASED Zimbabwean multi-talented Afro-jazz and pop singer, actor and play director Brity Yonly says she initially wanted to become a humanitarian lawyer before she decided to pursue her artistic talent after completing her Advanced Level studies at Lord Malvern High School in Harare. The 27-year-old Marondera-bred songstress who is also the founder of MuFoGwO Festival said she feels safer in the Asian country as the cases of COVID-19 have gone down significantly, allowing business to resume. She is in China after she struck a two-year deal to perform at an international tourist destination, Ling Ling International Circus in China. She has been performing there since September last year until the outbreak of COVID-19. NewsDay (ND) Life &Style reporter Winstone Antonio yesterday caught up with Brity Yonly (BY) (pictured) from her Chinese base and shared her artistic journey. Below are excerpts from the interview. ND: How did you find yourself in China and how is life there as a musician and foreigner? BY: I came here (China) after I was shortlisted among other Africans to be a performing artist at the Ling Ling International Circus. That was last year in September. Life here in China as a musician is good because it promotes cultural diversity, I also have quick access to resources and modern technology which can help me to improve my art. I am happy that people are loving my jazz music which I fuse with mbira sound. Most of them have expressed that they love the unique sound from my music since it is original and they are used to western music. The feedback I am getting is inspiring because when people from different parts of the world appreciate my music, it gives me confidence. ND: When did you find your passion in music? BY: Growing up, I wanted to become a humanitarian lawyer, but I later traded that for my art talent after I finished my studies at Lord Malvern High School in Harare. I started singing and composing songs at a tender age of nine. I could write songs for the Sunday school choir and perform in Scripture Union clubs and at major school functions. I recorded my first song in 2010 — a collaboration with Nyasha Timbe titled Brity @Large and later joined a contemporary band called The Blacks as a backing vocalist in 2013. After the collapse of The Blacks in 2015, I them started to pursue my solo career that saw me releasing my debut six-track album titled Mwana waMambo featuring Damson “WeDande” Madzikaminga. This is the album that carried celebratory songs like Makuwerere and Pamuchato and it also had love songs like Wandaireva and Ngikhulumele and the title track Mwana waMambo — a gospel track that praises God and Vabereki, a track which portrays certain situations usually faced by orphans. ND: What inspires your type of music? BY: My Afro-jazz music is inspired by our culture as Africans, i appreciate our originality and uniqueness, so I also want to share that experience with the whole world. My greatest inspiration came from the late Oliver Mtukudzi and Chiwoniso Maraire. I play and teach mbir
