For the first time ever, Afro-Jazz singer Erna Chimu has been invited to perform at Le-Kolatier festival in Cameroon. Chimu had been invited last year already to perform at the festival in 2012 but the event was subsequently postponed to November this year. She will be the only Namibian at the event that will be dominated by Cameroonian acts.
The festival, which is also known as the African Music Market takes place every two years in Douala and is widely regarded as an amazing gathering of some of the best African musicians in the region. The event also consists of interactive activities like seminars, workshops and a fun trade fair.
Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, Erna Chimu sounded excited to be attending the festival.
“I am very happy to be representing Namibia, this is also one of the opportunities to expose my music around the world,” she said.
Chimu relates that local music enthusiast Rirua Komehe was instrumental in her selection as he submitted music from local artists at a music conference he attended in South Africa in 2009, with the festival organisers eventually choosing Erna’s music.
Her second album is due before the end of December. She worked on the project with ‘Handful of Namibians’ musical director Christian Poloni of Cabanon Music.
Due to financial constraints, Chimu can unfortunately only leave with three of her acoustic band members. The four leave for Cameroon today.
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