Xenia Manasseh, a star on the rise

XENIA MANASSEH is a 23-year-old singer-songwriter and dancer signed to the American label, Upper Class Music Group, based Atlanta. She has recently released her debut Extended Play (EP) titled Fallin Apart, one of the year’s most anticipated R&B projects. She talks with ALFAYO ONYANGO Just how did you get into music? Playing piano in kindergarten is my earliest memory of my first interaction with music. I grew up in my grandparents’ house listening to a wide range of influences. It was everything from Richard Clayderman to Whitney Houston, Norah Jones, E-Sir, Brenda Fassie, Andrea Bocelli and Kenny G. This had a great effect on me and aroused my passion for the music. What exactly is your association with Kenya? I am a mix of many things. My mother is a mixture of a Kenyan and Malawian while my dad is Ugandan. I usually avoid this question because there is so much to explain. Describe to us your upbringing and how was it like for you? Simple. That’s how I can describe it. I have always loved to do many things. I played a lot of sports; I was the captain of the football team, was on the basketball team and used to do athletics as well. Really, the three things I did most outside of academics were sports, dancing and music. I picked up several music instruments growing up, but never fully committed to one except for vocals. I was blessed to have a family that supported me and gave me room to pursue the things I was passionate about. What are your pet peeves? I don’t like it when people lack common courtesy. Please, thank you and excuse me are so easy to say. What is your take on the current music scene in Kenya? I love the support for each other in the music scene, and it could definitely be more when people such as myself are included. I genuinely feel like everyone wants everyone to succeed. Take us through the moments into the making of your new EP, Fallin Apart. The project came together in some kind of crazy way. I wrote the title track two years ago not thinking at all that it would be the theme of my first EP. My writing process fluctuates, but what I did mostly for this project was freestyle then put words to the melodies that didn’t have any. The biggest issue I faced was financial, which is partly why I put out the EP so late. My initial release date was April 2019 and when I didn’t meet that deadline, I was asking myself again whether it was going to happen, considering I had been trying to put out an EP since 2017. I am relieved and overjoyed that I was finally able to put something out into the world and it gave me the motivation to continue grinding. Are you and Junior Nyong’o dating, especially based on the public display of affection shown on your music video See Me? Ha-ha. No, we’re not dating. He is my good friend though. In this life, we need to support each other more, and Nyong’o definitely is someone I can rely on. I love that so many of us are just willing to be there for each other these days. Everybody just wants everybody to win. Are your songs based on true stories or just fictional? I wrote all the songs in the EP while I was in a relationship. I can, however, tie them to all the relationships I have had now that I’m not in one. What other interests do you pursue in the USA? I work with a label called Upper Class Music Group as a songwriter in Atlanta. I moved to Atlanta in 2018 after graduating from university at Berkley and found myself with a whole new family; life is crazy like that. What is it like to be signed to an international music label? It’s quite a new chapter for me; pretty exciting because I get to do what I love with a really cool team, so I’m looking forward to it. I have to try and bridge the gap between ‘there and here’, so I’m happy to play my role and do the best I can. Besides music, what other passions do you have? Dancing and sports are really my other passions. If you had a choice, what place would you call home? The world is my home. As a performer, what’s your favourite part about doing live shows? I love singing. I can’t even explain the feeling. Because it just takes me to another place. It makes me feel so free. When I sing, I am just pouring myself out and feel like I have no limits anymore. I also love the exchange of energy; you know getting back energy for what I give out. So, what are your plans in the immediate future? More music and more music videos are on the way.

Xenia Manasseh, a star on the rise

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