Local reggae artist Carla “Yasha Mani” Hobson is looking forward to returning to South Africa and visiting Nigeria for the first time in September, after her successful tour in March-May.
She recently launched the Africa Tune Youth Ambassadorship Programme, in which young artistes from three countries – South Africa, Nigeria, and Trinidad and Tobago – will be selected to create an album with an award-winning producer.
Hobson’s journey to Africa began when she was declared a music ambassador in November 2021 by Prince Emeka Ojukwu, CEO of the Nigerian NGO Music Africa Awakes Foundation (MUAFA).
Hobson said the NGO works towards promoting African music and merging Africa and the Caribbean as one. She said Ojukwu contacted her after seeing three of her singles on YouTube – Vengenz, Soul Jah, and Stand Firm Inna Self.
“Prince Ojukwu started reaching out to me, encouraging me in terms of the type of music that stood for peace and justice and love.
"They were actually hosting the Nigeria Reggae Festival in November and so in September 2020 they reached out to me and invited me to an awards ceremony which was to take place at the same time. They recognised my music on Facebook and gave me a certificate as well.
"Being new and not sure I was being effective, the mere fact that an organisation reached out and recognised me, it gave me the encouragement that yes, I am really doing what I set out to do, and that gave me confidence.”
[caption id="attachment_971104" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Carla "Yasha Mani" Hobson performs at Trenchtown in South Africa. - courtesy Carla Hobson[/caption]
Hobson said when the festival had to be postponed to 2022, she began to research promoters in Africa because she wanted to fulfil her dreams of singing on the continent.
“Rastafarian Afrika Society sounds system came up, and I went on their page and saw that this guy had some really nice events and I reached out to him. He checked my music out and said he was willing to bring me over to sing and do a tour and I was ready.
" I didn’t realise at first he was in South Africa, and not Nigeria, where I was supposed to go, but I was so pleased to just hit the African continent. I didn’t know they called South Africa the Motherland, so I was like, 'Wow, I came through the gate of the Motherland.'”
Hobson said her experience in Cape Town was fulfilling. She performed at Paarl Reggae Festival, Legit Lit Reggae Sessions, Trenchtown, Reggae on the Beach, Empress Menen Celebrations and 420 World Day. She said her experience as a radio and TV announcer, which she did after getting a marketing degree at Morgan State University in Maryland in the US, contributed to the entire experience.
“It was very challenging, especially in Paarl Reggae Festival – that was one of the hugest ones – just watching the massive crowd going down the tent.
"When I decided to be an artiste it was during the pandemic, and I did two virtual concerts, which was just me and the
