Singer, Victoria Kimani On Challenges Breaking Into Nigerian Music Industry

Victorian Kimani of Chocolate City Music speaks on her music, challenges of

acceptance into the industry and more. In a recent interview with NotjustOKTV, the Kenyan singer explains that she joined a Nigerian record label because they share the same vision of crossing their music beyond the African continent and at the time she initially signed to the label, they had a branch in Kenya – Chocolate City Kenya because they were all about expanding the brand and also she’s the type of artiste that would like her music to be held by as many people as possible, hence her reason for pitching her tent with a company that is motivated to see their music spread across the continent. Kimani describes her music as a blend of Afro-pop and R&B, adding that she would soon drop her album which will give her fans a chance to understand what type of artiste she is. She mentioned that she has a background in songwriting, and has written songs for foreign pop R&B artistes, but has had to localize her sound on moving to Nigeria, in order to penetrate the market. According to her: “If I was going to make a song for the Nigerian market for example, I don’t see there being a problem in using pidgin, If I wanted to make a song for a Tanzanian or Kenyan, I could speak in Swahili, I think that is what shows diversity as an artiste.” She adds that the album would contain mash up of different genres of music, including live instruments, and not just about what happens in the club as there are stories to be told. On challenges as a Kenyan artiste trying to break into the Nigerian market, she said that was not necessarily the goal, pointing out that she sees herself as a pan-African artiste whose goal is to make music to appeal to the continent and not necessarily for Nigerian ears only. She added that it is smart for an artiste to jump on that wave if you can but overall she believes the fact that she is a foreign act which has been her greatest challenge. She also relates the Nigerian music industry to the U.S music industry as being young and fresh, and has got a lot of movement going on but in terms of structure, with artistes and producers not getting due royalties as it is obtainable abroad, there is room for a lot of improvement regards that. The Afro pop singer also talks about how she started music professionally and the most challenging single she has had to work on.