Tjikune Leitner has traded the microphone for a stethoscope – for now.
Born at Usakos and raised at Karibib, Namibia’s former artist of the year says the switch was about growth, and is not a goodbye.
She says she adopted the stage name Chikune to make things easier.
“My producer felt ‘Tjikune’ would be tough for people who don’t speak Otjiherero, especially abroad,” she explains. “We went with Chikune. I’m very happy with everything I have achieved in my music career.”
The Afropop and R&B songstress built a sound she calls uniquely hers and took it beyond our borders.
She won best singer of the year at the Namibia Annual Music Awards (NAMAs) and then conquered the continent with the All Africa Music Awards’ best southern Africa female artist title.
Breaking in wasn’t easy.
“I faced a lot of adversity as a newcomer,” she says. “Some people criticised this light complexion girl singing English over an African beat with an Otjiherero accent.”
When she won artist of the year, not everyone was happy.
“Looking back, I regret letting it get to me.”
Today, Chikune is married and raising two children.
She’s on a new chapter, but the music, the awards and the impact remain.
“Currently I am a doctor at a private health centre at Rosh Pinah. I have been attending to sick people here for the past three years, and I was also based at Lüderitz earlier,” she says.
“I have my music career to thank for the person I have become. I actually used my singing talent to earn an extra income as pocket money while studying for my doctor’s degree. I am proud I listened to my mum.”
Her mother convinced her to sign up with Ogopa Butterfly because she believed that she could make it as a singer.
Growing up, it was not only about singing for the songstress, who started singing in her church choir at Usakos at 12.
Chikune says her decision to start a music career was inspired after she won the senior vocalist of the world award at the World Championships of the Performing Arts in Los Angeles, United States, in 2012.
She was still a pupil at Karibib Private High School at the time.
“Growing up, I was exposed to the Motown hits of world famous American superstars like Diana Ross, Etta James, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles and Nat King Cole,” Chikune says.
“My dad was a fan of American R&B, blues and jazz music, and he always encouraged me to sing for him. I even sang Diana’s songs at school talent shows.”
Her earlier life did not only entail singing, though, because Chikune was also an ardent netball player during her high school years.
“I played netball at school in Karibib. I believe I was good in the sport because I also made it through the regional stages. But I always fell short at the national trials,” she says.
“For three years in a row, I came to Windhoek for the national trials, but unfortunately I could not break through to the national team. But at least I made it into the under-18 national darts Zone 6 team,” she says.
The ‘Okambloma’ hitmaker was a Grade 8 pupil at the time.
“I was also an excellent visual arts pupil who was good at sketching and paintings. I was very smart growing up, I have to say.”
Chikune attended Grade 10 at Karibib and Grade 11 at Abotts College in Cape Town, South Africa.
She graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Namibia in 2021.
With two albums behind her name, the singer added the best collaboration and best Afropop awards for her hit songs ‘Too Much Sauce’, featuring Nyashinski, and ‘Pieces’, respectively.
Chikune describes her maiden performance during the 2015 NAMAs as her first big gig.
The star, who wants to be remembered as a vocalist when she decides to retire from showbiz, calls for Namibians to start valuing their own musicians.
“Starting from the event managers, promoters and the Namibian music fans, we must adopt the concept of ‘local is lekker’. Respect and support Namibian musicians. Stop paying our own musicians peanuts for gigs and start empowering them,” she says.
“You will never go to South Africa or Kenya and see an international artist headlining a national event unless it’s their own show. We will continue to be the laughing stock of the rest of the continent if we don’t change our mindset towards our own musicians.”
Chikune is advising young musicians to keep pushing. “There will be a lot of naysayers. I had my fair share of criticism, but you just have to develop a thick skin and respect your craft.”
