T5 interview with Olivia Ambani

1. You released an album during the pandemic. How was that for you?

It was a huge leap of faith. I knew I had to do it but wondered if I was being over ambitious. Initially, I had planned to release it in March or April 2020, so when Covid-19 struck I was unable to decide whether to wait or go ahead, although I felt very strongly that the time was right. I had to tweak the album promotion strategy and adjust my expectations on how it would be received. I had to do more virtual shows and online marketing, which I think worked to my advantage as people were open to discovering new music since they were mostly indoors.

Doing live shows and connecting with my audience in various space is the one thing I miss most. Online shows are great but nothing beats a live audience. Their energy adds so much to your performance.

2. How do you find the inspiration to write your songs?
Songwriting for me is like therapy. I process so much of my thoughts and feelings when writing. It’s like I’m making a diary entry or writing a letter to myself. I also freestyle a lot when I am songwriting and the act of creating without a filter truly makes me happy and free. That’s how I wrote all the songs on my album – they were based on a couple of freestyle sessions. When I listen back to them now, I feel like I’m reflecting upon various seasons of my life.

3. How do you balance your music and marketing careers?
I am still learning to allow each to have its season. Most times, when I get busy with my marketing work, I tend to be in the quiet season of my music career and vice versa, so they each get their time to shine. That said, there are those seasons when both my marketing gigs and music are fighting for my time, so planning becomes key. Apps like Google Calendar have been of great help to me. I’ve also learnt to say No, and to stick to my priorities. Sometimes I block certain days off to focus on each, so that helps too. I feel very fortunate that I am able to do both, and that they complement each other.

4. Do you think it is now easier for young people to tell their parents that they want to be artists than it was, say, a decade ago?
It might be, mainly because more parents are open to that idea, and there are more artists earning big from their art and being recognised locally. and internationally. The industry has evolved. You no longer need to have a record deal to be successful. There are more artists carving their own paths with the help of digital media.

I never really had to tell my parents that I was going to do music. They always wanted to know what I planned to do with my voice. My whole family encouraged me to pursue my music career, and only worried about whether I would be able to support myself while doing it.

5. Your music has appeared in Kenyan productions. Is writing music for movies different?
My music plays on Just In Time, now showing on Netflix. I sent the directors my music and they selected what they felt worked for the movie. They ended up choosing Falling Star, a song from my debut album. I have also pitched my music to other film directors and it has been a similar process. I haven’t written any film scores yet but it’s on my to-do list. I have always been fascinated by film music.

I think it would require more collaboration because there’s a lot more to consider, such as the mood of the film, the suggested placement of the song, the story line and what role the music needs to play in the film. I am definitely looking forward to more opportunities to create specifically for film.