Emmy Kosgei Madubuko’s appearance in ways leaves a lasting impression moment you come across her. Firstly, her diction is delightful and typical of East African flavour. Secondly, her shade of good looks is a million times stunning more than just being an African beauty. Thirdly, the renowned gospel music diva is endowed with mellifluous voice that often captivates her audience so much that leaves one angling for more, which no other person can tell better than her husband, Nigerian Apostle Anselm Madubuko of the Revival Assembly Church, whom she met in her country during a yearly gospel music concert. With many great awards to show for it, Emmy has graced many platforms in and outside the continent and contributing immensely to humanity through her craft. The proud Kenyan ambassador talks about her music, her peace project, life since moving to Nigeria and as a pastor’s wife in this encounter with Ferdinand Ekechukwu of This Day newspaper.
You have often described yourself as a ‘village girl’. Why?
It’s majorly because of my upbringing. My upbringing has molded the person I am today in terms of character, career in music, what I do and singing in vernacular. And then appreciating my roots, you know my cultural values and what I believe that being a village girl having up grown from my village, there are attributes and there are things that have highly contributed to who I am today. My home village is called Baringo. Baringo is in Kenya. I come from the county of the athletes. And then being in that environment, made me appreciate so many things, so appreciating and embracing it has made me value, and I think molded my perspectives towards life and issues.
What has the experience been like since moving to Nigeria?
It’s amazing. Nigeria is a whole different kind of setup; culture, lifestyle. Our own lifestyle back in Kenya is so laid back and quiet. So, coming here is just experiencing a new culture, everything. But I’m enjoying it. I enjoy the variety of foods, music and how Nigerians uphold themselves, their aggressiveness, the need to work harder, the need to just go an extra mile, that energy that comes with it. Many people misunderstand Nigerians for their energy and maybe their attitude to life. But coming here has really made me understand that it’s for a reason. And it’s actually a very good aspect of every human being you must have a little percentage of Nigerian spirit.
You are a renowned gospel artiste. Take us through your musical journey?
Yeah I’m a gospel artiste. I started my music career 16 years ago. I’m pastors’ kid; my dad is a bishop, my mum is a reverend. I have been brought up in a Christian home. So music has been part of my life since my upbringing. But getting into professional kind of recording came many years later and I have ventured into African themes like afro-fusion kind of music part of gospel. In where I come from, it was a step of faith for one to sing in vernacular. And too, to sing from where I come from at a season where our country was going through very heavy clashes and during election periods, so tribalism was a major, major issue for all these differences. So, singing in vernacular was almost something … I dared. It wasn’t easy and I knew it was going to be hard. But I think I believe that if God has used my music to build bridges, to bring communities together and then having served for 15 years plus, I have come to realise that African music is very rich, is very unique, is the most sought after sound now in the world. And then from my country, singing this kind of music has given me a platform to build a pride for our heritage. I have done that for many years now. Because most of my fans don’t even understand what I sing (language wise) but they loved it. That tells you it has really played a major role to what I am today. It’s also through music that I met my husband (laughs out loud). It’s on that platform that I got invited to Nigeria to minister and when I sang in Azusa I was invited four years later. I was invited to Nigeria to sing in Azusa Conference that’s in our church way before I got married five years later. Music, you see, has introduced me to many platforms. I have met so many great people. I have worked with very, very dignified people.
Your career paths have crossed with a lot of great people across continents. How impactful has that been to your music?
It’s impactful for one it shows me that I’m doing something great. Two, I have learnt that it’s good to be different and to be unique. Maintain that, and then excellence. And then believe in God. God is the giver of all these platforms. If I look back and I have seen what I have done I never even thought it would happen like that. But I think it attributes to God. And then put in work to be able to bring out that African sound to the world.
Tell us what are you currently working on at the moment? An album… singles…
I think that’s one of the biggest challenges that I would say. I have not been able to release an album because my calendar is so tight and every time I am thinking ‘okay this is the season’, my other programmes just come up that I must attend to. But I have been working on singles, that I have already finished with now. I have compiled the project it’s remaining like two videos or three that I must do before March next year which is when I want to release my sixth album. This album is unique because it’s in that season that I moved to Nigeria trying to adjust to Nigerian market at the same time maintained my Kenyan and global market. So I have very interesting songs in the air that I have collaborated with artistes in Kenya and then in West Africa. I have done a song with Sinach that is yet to come out. I have done a song with Mercy Chinwo that is coming out probably January or February 2020. We have already recorded, they are in mixing stage. I also did a song Taai. Taai is the title of this album. Taai is my dialect meaning moving forward. This album has some touch of Igbo, pidgin and then I introduce some artiste from this part of the world so I’m so looking forward to it. Then I did a song with Onos that I released early this year titled Champion. Champion is an upbeat song. It’s a groovy song I recorded with a Nigerian producer. It’s a celebration song. It’s about the African story of our champions. I sang it in English and a little bit of my dialect. It talks about champions.
