Jou ‘Ma se Kombuis’

Singer Christopher Grant has spread his wings to showcase his talents in South Africa, where he has been based recently.

While many know him for his larger-than-life persona and singing ability, Grant has been exploring his funny side in the online series ‘Ma se Kombuis’, which narrates all the uniquely funny things about growing up in a typically coloured household.

Grant was born and raised in Windhoek by a single parent and has loved the arts all his life, he says.

“When I was 13, I was recruited to the first-ever Namibian National Children’s Choir, which was conducted by the formidable and well-known Ernst van Biljon,” he says.

Grant is currently back home for a few months, sorting out some personal matters and preparing for the theatre production of the series, which he hopes to showcase in both Namibia and South Africa.

He decided to make the move south after going through very challenging times.

“At that time my life came to a complete standstill and nothing seemed to work out. Things were so bad that my mother and I ended up staying on the streets and in shelters. We tried to push through and kept believing in God’s purpose for us.”

Grant’s luck changed when he had to drive a friend to Johannesburg.

“I gladly agreed. I figured it would be like a breath of fresh air to get out of my normal surroundings for a little bit. I already had permanent residency in South Africa, so I decided to apply for jobs there. I am going back to South Africa, where I work at a medical insurance company as a sales executive, in August.”

‘Ma se Kombuis’ was inspired by childhood memories of growing up in his grandmother’s house and the many family gatherings that took place in the kitchen.

“All of my aunties and cousins were there. I had four aunts who were very dear to me. They sadly have now all passed away. Three died of cancer and one due to a brain haemorrhage. They were women who loved to bake, cook and entertain people,” he says.

The success of ‘Ma se Kombuis’ made him realise the importance of utilising his talents.

“The positive responses from fans are great. Creating this platform made me realise that I still have some talent left in me, and that I can use it to spread positive messages and make people laugh. Through the videos I am saying nothing is forever, no matter the current situation. Struggles only last a while. It’s my big dream to spread a message of hope and urge people to never give up on their dreams.”

He recorded his first song, ‘I Wish You The Best’, in 2013 as a dedication to a close friend who got married in Europe. In 2015 he released his first album, ‘Let Me Go’, which was a huge success and saw him scoop two awards at the 2016 Namibian Annual Music Awards.

“The album was written as I went through depression. I believe in writing songs of hope and inspiration. At that time my main aim was spreading a positive message through my music,” he says.

Sadly, Grant hasn’t released more music since his promising debut.

“Due to personal reasons and some bad decisions in my life, I came to a halt. I started falling back into depression and came to a point where I felt stagnant. I just could not get any words out. For many years I felt as if my music had died,” Grant says.

But comedy seems to have reignited his passion for success, and Grant is now hard at work finalising his second album.

“There are quite a few things in the pipeline for ‘Ma se Kombuis’. I am excited.”

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