Kenyan artist Stella Mwangi is a ‘Favorite.’
“I was born September 1st 1986, and realized my potential in music at the age of Six. My interest in music resulted from racial discrimination that was subjected to following from my family’s move from Kenya to Norway in 1991. Since I was 11 years I was active in the Norwegian hip hop scene.
In 1998, I worked with an African Youth group known as “The Rise” where we produced and released an album called “Maroon”.
I then started curtain rising for various hip hop artists such as Common and Talib Kweli followed by Angelique Kidjo, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross and Flo-Rida to name few. In 2005 The R.I.S.E and I got the opportunity to perform for the one and only, Nelson Mandela while he was in Norway for an AIDS eradication campaign.My break into the African Hip Hop scene came in 2005 when I worked with a Senegalese Hip Hop group called Wagable in their Debut album, Senegal, produced by www.big-city.no. I featured in two of their hit songs ‘Babylon’ and ‘Do it’ which topped the charts in Senegal and Gambia for several weeks. The album scooped the Best album of the year in Senegal for 2005.
In 2006 I won the Kisima Awards for the most promising artist of the year.
My single ‘Take it back’ was a major hit in Africa and in Scandinavia. It was #1 on the East African charts in 2008, followed by my second single ‘The Dreamer’ from my debut album ‘Living For Music’ which was released October 20th 2008 in Scandinavia and Africa.
I released my third single ‘She got it/Kool girls’ spring 2009 from my debut album. The song was # 1 on the east African charts and one of the most played songs on MTV Base and Channel O which broadcasts across the whole Africa. Since my debut album release, I have been touring in Scandinavia, USA and Africa.
My songs “Crazy”, “Feeling Love” and “Swing”, which I wrote with The DNC was picked by the Position Music and Choice Tracks (based in L.A) as a soundtrack for the films Save the last dance, American pie, Redline and the series; CSI (New York) , Las Vegas, Ghost whisperer, Scrubs and Army Wives to name few.
I was nominated for Best New Act on The MTV Africa Music Awards 2009. I won FAVOURITE FEMALE ARTIST at the Chaguo La Teeniez Awards (East Africa) in 2010. Through Black Toast Music, my song ‘Go Getta’ from my debut album ‘Living For Music’ is used on America’s Next Top Model as the cycle 14 promo song and as backround music on the popular TV serie Melrose Place.
I’m currently working on my second album and hoping to get signed by a major label.”
Founded in 2007, Ladybrille® Magazine is a California based pioneer digital publication demystifying the image of Africans in the west through contemporary African fashion and celebrating the brilliant woman in business and leadership, with an emphasis on the African woman in the diaspora. Our coverage includes stories on capital, access to markets, expertise, hiring and retention, sales, marketing, and promotions.
