Young T’s re-election

“I SING how I feel. I can make music out of every feeling or emotion at any given time,” says Namibian musician Young T, who has just put out his latest album, ‘The Re-election’, which is already making waves among fans.

When it comes to music, let me tell you this guy knows his stuff.

He has this uncanny ability to create catchy, unforgettable tunes, to speak of a reality that’s all too easy to understand, and get you up on your feet to dance all at once.

On top of that he releases music at lightning speed, to a point where it can often seem AS IF he lives in front of the microphone.

It’s no wonder that no matter the time of the year, whether he has just released or has been quiet for a while, he is always the topic of discussion.

Almost every day people are debating with each other whether or not Young T is the best lyricist in Namibia, whether he is normal, and what he will give us next.

There are few other local contenders that spring up in conversations.

For the creative, it doesn’t matter. He says it could be true, but he isn’t concerned with competing.

“Everyone is entitled to rate their favourite musicians as high as they want,” he says frankly, a trait of his we’ve all come to understand.

“I don’t place myself above or below any other musician. We are all contributing to entertaining the nation in unique manners. My message is relevant for eternity. I do lifelong music that people will keep going back to, depending on their circumstances,” he says.

This is super evident in his latest project, a 19 track, 1 hour 2 minutes anthology.

Young T says he gave it its title because he thinks of himself as being something similar to a politician, who is so loved by his country that they keep voting him back into power.

“At a point I authentically wanted out! My supporters wouldn’t allow me to get away from the music though,” he says.

The artist is, of course, referring to his repeated threats to leave the industry.

‘Okandingosho Kotombo’, an Oshiwambo song, was the first track from the album to be released on YouTube about a month ago.

It currently sits at more than 236 000 views, almost perfectly encapsulating Young T’s ability to pull in numbers.

It’s a really good song that sounds distinctly and traditionally Namibian, but it is just the tip of the iceberg of what’s to come.

Other tracks on the album were really able to demonstrate his growth in musicality.

One standout track is ‘Survival Mode’.

It has proven to be a crowd favourite, if all the posts strewn across social media are anything to go by, and it seems to be for the simple fact that it has such relatable imagery.

“When I’m telling a story, it may not be my own, but I promise you it is real life for someone out there,” says the artist.

Tracks like ‘Believe Me’, ‘Baby’, ‘Halloween’ and ‘Patorola’ also have a certain flair to them, blending elements of different genres to tell a cohesive story that not only entertains but educates.

“The message is the same since my first album ‘Philosophical Pages’. I want to teach people what they don’t get to be taught at school, spread love, peace and happiness, and I want to go face to face with life’s challenges, instead of running from them,” he says.

– Anne Hambuda is a local poet, writer and social commentator. Follow her online for more.

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