Local socialite and musician Moira Sibongile Knight (26) has made significant strides in her career and continues to shine.
Married to Mbare-born Zimdancehall sensation Seh Calaz, Knight said people now knew her more as an artiste in her own right than as an artiste’s wife, thanks to her debut single titled Human Heart, which she released in July. The single has a video, which is doing well on digital platforms, including YouTube.
The Standard Style’s reporter Sharon Sibindi (SS) recently caught up with Knight (MK), who opened up on her life experiences and projects. Below are excerpts from the interview.
SS: Can you tell us about yourself? How did it start for you in the arts industry?
MK: My name is Moira Sibongile Knight. I am a Zimbabwean singer and songwriter based in the United Kingdom. I started showing an interest in music after being inspired by my mother Martha Knight, who was a musician. She built a name in the music industry before we moved to the UK.
SS: What is the muse behind it?
MK: I look up to Rihanna, Jennifer Hudson and Mariah Carey. Their lyrics touch my soul and also the way they make one being a woman is such a great thing.
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SS: What has been your most adventurous time in the arts industry?
MK: My most adventurous time was when I released my first ever song and video Human Heart. That’s the time when people really got to see and hear me as an artiste as opposed to being the wife of an artiste. I felt humbled being appreciated for my own talent.
SS: What challenges do you face in the arts industry?
MK: The challenges I face include lack of support from people I expected to always have my back. People think I have it easy, but I actually had to build this name all by myself and find help all by myself, with absolutely no help from anybody. It was a bitter- sweet experience because I would have liked to have had a bit of a push from somebody who has experience in the music industry for more than six years.
I coped better than I expected by simply learning the hard way that I only have myself to encourage myself.
SS: What projects are you involved in this year?
MK: I am working on a singles’ collection, which will be launched early next year. I am also a few weeks away from releasing a music video, which will unveil the unseen side of me.
SS: You have been so quiet in the music industry since the release of the single Human Heart, what were you up to?
MK: I definitely have been quiet because I recently lost my grandmother who was my biggest fan. I always sent her my songs for approval before I released them and when she departed, I was almost left clueless. But she always wanted me to go beyond what I thought I could do, henceforth that is exactly what I am doing. My new material will shock many listeners.
SS: What else do you do in life apart from music?
MK: Most of my fans don’t know that I am a model because that is something that I practise when I am not in Zimbabwe.
SS: What are you doing to ensure that upcoming generations will not lose interest in singing?
MK: I always try to give people my very best in music and that way I think it ensures any aspiring singers that there is no room for failure when you know you have given your all.
SS: How have you managed to survive despite the changing music trends?
MK: I know that talent is God-given and nobody can say otherwise. That is the only reason why no man can come between my talent and I despise critics trying to demolish my dreams. God is the one who has the power to destroy, so even if people try, He is always on my side. He wouldn’t have given me the voice in the first place.
SS: What’s your take on the current generation of musicians?
MK: The current generation of musicians is an interesting one because there are so many new musicians like myself who work hard to stand out. I think it’s important to have new musicians who come into the industry because it keeps musicians on their toes. But I always change my genre, lyrics and even language to cater to as many as possible. You may have noticed, but Shona is not my first language, English is. So, before I write in Shona, I really need to study some words to make sure it makes sense.
SS: Would you say you have achieved the fame and fortune many seek?
MK: I definitely have not attained the fame and fortune many seek because I personally know I am not there yet. Yes, I am famous, but that’s not the goal. It’s just what comes with the journey.
SS: You being the wife of a celebrity, how does it feel and how do you juggle between being a housewife and musician?
MK: I juggle it well and manage my time well. Once we enter the house I become the housewife. Seh Calaz paid lobola last year in October and we have been together for six years. I think he is the right guy for me because I don’t consider him a celebrity. I am Eric Knight’s daughter, who is a legend in his own right and I have seen how famous guys act while growing up with a famous father. So, I am used to living with a famous figure, but he is not under any circumstances a celebrity to me.
SS: Your parting shot?
MK: I look forward to sharing so much more with my fans and please keep on showing me the support that you show me. That is what gives me the strength to do this even when I doubt myself.
