‘My Victory Was God-ordained’ – Next Ma/Gaisa Star Winner Sylvia Haoses

The winner of the fourth edition of the Next Ma/Gaisa Star competition, Sylvia Haoses, believes her victory was the result of divine intervention.

Haoses delivered a powerful performance filled with vibrant choreography alongside her backup dancers, earning prolonged applause from a packed audience at the National Theatre of Namibia (NTN) during the live televised finale on NBC last week Thursday.

She outshone first runner-up Michael Haneb and third-placed Yolandi van Niekerk, who both impressed the judges and received N$20 000 and N$10 000, respectively.

“I am still struggling to understand what happened that night at the NTN,” the Okahandja-born songstress says.

“Right from the start of the competition until a few days before the finale, I wasn’t even sure if I would still participate. I was a complete nervous wreck. Nothing worked in my favour, and I even missed my rehearsal with the band. How I clicked with them on the night, only God knows.”

Despite her nerves, Haoses delivered two songs with clarity and energy, prompting one judge to remark that she had “dropped everything in her heart on the floor”.

OVERCOMING ANXIETY

She reveals that she suffered from anxiety in the weeks leading up to the show due to being unemployed and raising four children.

“I was treated for anxiety before the competition,” she says. “Being the first to sing didn’t help either, but I told myself to be brave and give my best.”

Her opening number, ‘Higher and Higher’, turned the audience wild.

“By the second line, the crowd went berserk. That’s when I decided to show off my dancing skills. When I saw the smile on judge Esme’s face, I knew I was killing it,” she says.

Haoses admitted there were moments of doubt during the competition.

“The pressure was too much, so at one point I walked to a nearby takeaway on Independence Avenue just to calm my nerves.”

Her passion for music, she said, kept her grounded through hardship.

After losing her job when a Swakopmund-based company closed, she struggled to provide for her family while caring for her ill mother.

“I lived with my mom until three years ago, but she had to sell her plot and move in with her partner. It was hard to live with them, because my stepfather had children too, so I started doing odd jobs,” she says.

Life became even tougher when she was forced to move from one friend’s house to another with her children.

“Sometimes we had little or no food, and some men offered me money in exchange for my body. I thank God I didn’t take that route,” she says

Her situation caught the attention of the Samaritans Network Organisation, which trained her to work with young people from similar backgrounds.

Encouraged by her younger sister, Haoses decided to enter the competition.

“I didn’t have anyone to record my audition video, so I used my phone,” she says. “Today, I can only thank God for keeping me from making desperate choices.”

Singing, she explains, has always been her source of strength.

“Despite my situation, I never stopped singing. Sometimes I would sing myself to sleep. It helped me forget my challenges for a while.”

Growing up, Haoses was inspired by Dolly Parton and Rebecca Malope.

“I started singing in church choirs at nine, and that shaped my voice,” she says.

“I’ve always dreamt of becoming a musician. Thanks to SAN Welwitschia Music Productions, I finally have a platform to build my career.”

Haoses says she also discovered a new skill during the competition. “We received beats from the organisers and had to write our own lyrics. It was such a brilliant idea because it allowed us to express ourselves creatively,” she said.

The grand prize included N$50 000 and a two-year recording contract, which Haoses describes as life-changing.

“For a jobless mother like me, that’s a great incentive. I will definitely extend my contract because this is my big chance,” she says.

Haoses has since returned to Okahandja, where the municipality planned a welcoming ceremony in her honour. Haoses now hopes to give back to her community by opening a preschool.

“I want to teach young children about values, life and talent. I want them to sing, dance and discover their creativity from an early age,” she says.

“I also want to guide them so they can cope when life gets tough.”

Her determination to overcome adversity, she believes, is proof that faith and resilience can change lives.

“I truly believe my victory was God-ordained,” she says.

The Next Ma/Gaisa Star competition is hosted by SAN Welwitschia Music Productions in partnership with the NTN, the National Arts Council of Namibia, the NBC and Namport, which sponsors N$500 000 annually over three years.

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