DON’T TOUCH MY STEREO: COS MENOOSHA IS ON!!!

Menoosha was born and raised in Ivory Coast to Cameroonian parents. She seems very hardworking, very driven and motivated and highly approachable. I have to say that to achieve what she has achieved despite the little stumbling blocks on her way she has to be of a very strong and focused character. She is an inspiration to many people out there who may want to follow their dreams and achieve their purpose but they are too scared for one reason or the other.
One message I took from talking to this cool chick is that – Don’t let your situation dictate your life and where you go in life is what you put into life. I hope this interview speaks to you in one way or the other. Happy reading!

DC: When did you first know you could sing?

MS: Okay, hmm, I was about 7/8 and my mother’s cousin a singer called Bebe Manga introduced me to a children's vocal, theatre and dance group called “Les Oiseaux du Monde”. I had an audition and when I sang, they loved it and that was how I kick started my career. This was my first encounter with the professional music scene. We toured around Africa and even went to Greece.

DC: Describe your music to us.

MS: I have 3 tracks (Get by, Don’t touch my stereo and Crumbs of Love) on my pre-album EP which is a blend of funk, rock and R’n’B Soul. The whole feeling of the album when it is released will be these as well as a blend of hip hop, afro-beat and dancehall.

DC: You supported Miriam Makeba, how did that come about?

MS: Well, I had a friend, an afro-beat artist by the name of Mutschoko who had a contact with Miriam’s management and he organised the whole opening act thing for me in Marburg (Germany) and this was in 2002.

DC: You packed your luggage, left family and friends behind in Ivory Coast and headed to Germany. Where did that courage come from?

MS: Well hmmm, actually, the main reason I left was to study graphic communication. A friend told me that German designers were very good and Germany was offering free University courses at the time back in 1999.

DC: Where do you get your strength from?

MS: I think my strength comes from hope. That clear vision of what I want to achieve. So my strength is from my hope and vision.

DC: How do you find time to sing, blog, do your web communication and photography, update your web pages, keep in touch on Myspace and Facebook and be a mother?

MS: Really, I just do it [she laughs] and then I realise that I have not had enough sleep. It is very very time consuming and I have had to learn to multitask which has helped me a lot. You don’t really do anything that well but you still do it. I only sacrifice sleep and I don’t really spend that much time with my friends. I don’t regret it, it is worth it.

DC: What advice do you have for all those single mothers out there who think their life is over?

MS: I would just say that you’ve got to create a vision. It doesn’t have to be a professional career but you need a vision and with that you will achieve a lot. This has been my lesson learnt from my parents. With no vision, it is like running in emptiness.

DC: Tell us about your band US2U. How did you form?

MS: It is a very very funny story. When I left Ivory Coast and arrived in Germany, I was still trying to do my music so I found this newspaper and I put an ad in the paper looking for band members. I got calls from different band artists and that was how we connected and then formed.

DC: Who or What has inspired you in your life?

MS: Many people. Actually, I have to think! The one person who really stirred my life has been Miriam Makeba. Not just because of the music thing but because of her life story. Her lesson of strength gotten from when I read her autobiography when I was 17 helped me a lot. I have nothing but admiration and respect for her for what she has done and achieved despite her struggles and loss. She was a big artist in Africa who managed to cross over to the US and even managed to win a Grammy Award.

DC: Where are you heading? What are your goals?

MS: My goals, hmmm, My goal is not just to do music but to inspire in a positive way. I like to do a lot of humanitarian work so to inspire people in any way I can will be my most achieved goal.

DC: You did a Socio-political documentary on Ivory Coast where you were born. What did you find out and how did it impact you?

MS: It was a very personal project. In the space of 3 months, I re-discovered the town I was born in (Abidjan). I discovered how people had turned onto Christianity in search of hope. Desperation in their spirituality had made them a target of “business crooks” who saw the church as a new way of making some money. The church I went to to conduct my research was shocking. Blessings had a price, the larger the cash you gave them the more prayers were prayed on you. It was the most shocking thing I had ever seen in my life. I did feel whole again after this project because it enabled me to get the real truth of where I was born and this project led me into the shantiest and poorest of places I had ever even been to while I was growing up in Abidjan.

DC: How did you feel when you went back to Germany? Where you like thank you Lord for the life I have now?

MS: Yes. I feel so blessed and I have no right to complain.

DC: You are moving to London in a few weeks, is that permanent?

MS: Yep, will be moving about mid September.

DC: So when would you take to the stage here in the UK? Any gigs?

MS: No, not yet but hoping to organise something. I met the former Soul II Soul singer Melisabelle and maybe we may do a collaboration.

DC: I am loving the “Get By” track! I couldn’t stop doing my funky moves on my chair! What is the gist behind it?

MS: Well, hmm, till like a year ago I was doing Soul R’n’B and my producer was like it was a long time that he had seen any mainstream R’n’B artist play with rock tunes so that is how we started. We did the song and I loved it but decided to change a few bits and it turned out into what the track is now.

DC: When is the album out?

MS: The album will be out in early 2009. So in a few month's time.

DC: At the moment, where can one can buy the pre-album EP “Three piece Suite”?

MS: The EP can be bought on my site – www.menoosha.com and we are working on putting it on iTunes and on all these platforms so it is easier for people to find.

DC: How can people keep up to date with what is going on with your music?

MS: By visiting the website. I have a newsletter on www.menoosha.com so in order to be kept updated, register your details on the site.

DC: Did the car company Skoda use your track “Movin as one” in their ad?

MS: Yes. I was working with an agent (actually he is currently my gig manager here in Germany) from Munich who worked with the publicity department of Skoda. They were looking for a track for their upcoming ad and he told them about me. When they listened to the “Movin as one” track, they liked it and decided to go for it.

Southpark Menoosha!

DC: Has that brought you more recognition and did it open more doors?

MS: Oh definitely! I have been getting a bit more bookings and I have been getting more friend requests on my Myspace profile so it has done something.

DC: Being a very busy lady and mother, how do you find time to look so good?

MS: [she laughs] thank you for the compliment. Well, I really have to wake up early in the morning to have my quiet time. I leave time to check out what is out there, this is very important to me to do this.

DC: What is your fashion style?

MS: Hmm, actually it depends on my mood. I can be very conservative when I feel like it but can also become very crazy and colourful when I have a gig.

DC: Do you love shopping?

MS: I love it, anytime I can, I try to shop [she laughs].

DC: What do you do in your spare time? If you have any?

MS: Well, I love to play with my daughter, take her for a walk etc. She’s my spare time activity.

DC: Would you encourage your daughter if she wanted to follow you into music?

MS: Well, definitely I would encourage her and I would also encourage her in anything she decided to do.

DC: So, Ms Susungi, thank you very much for this interview. Keep doing what you are doing because you are doing a great job. Stay in touch.

MC: Thank you!

DC: Oh by the way, do you know I googled you and there is so much written about you, lol!

MS: Well, I do google myself regularly to control what is written about me. Actually, I did this song “Giving it up” which was released in a mixed tape and there was this magazine that ran an article on me and I discovered that they associated me with phone sex! They did not even understand the song at all!

DC: Dulce Camer
MS: Menoosha Susungi

Hey there peeps, hope you enjoyed feature 3. You can sample Menoosha's "Three Piece Suite" tracks on her blog on the link to the right of my blog page. I will continue to introduce you to the amazing talents we have in that beautiful country of ours every two weeks as promised. Please as you read, don't forget to leave a comment by clicking on the comments section below this interview. You can leave a comment without registering. Just write what you wanna write and then when you go to post the comment, click on anonymous and that's it! This is if you don't want to leave your name!

Roll on Feature 4!

Stay sweet y'all!

Dulce

xxx