Sarah Fana: Spicing up gospel music

You were born in Ethiopia, raised in Eritrea and now living in Kenya, how did you get accustomed to the three cultures?

Cultures are similar between Ethiopia and Eritrea. For Kenya, we are two countries close to each other yet our cultures are so different. For instance, the cohabitation and polygamy in Kenya. Another is that Eritrean lifestyle is too social while Kenyan is too personal. I was also shocked about the issue of tribe. Even if you are a Kenyan, you still have to give another identity when starting a conversation.

What prompted you to relocate to Kenya eight years ago, and acquire Kenyan citizenship?

There was war between Ethiopia and Eritrea.The peace and stability in Kenya brought me here. In my stay, I learnt that Kenya has beautiful, appreciative and accepting people who don’t view me as a non-Kenyan. I also learnt that I could minister through Gospel music videos. Back in Eritrea, I released only audio music. My song ‘El Shaddai’ was the first professionally-done music video from an Eritrean. The eight years prepared me to venture into Gospel music.

What was it like for you being the pioneer of professional music videos and there was no one to look up to back home when starting out as a Gospel artiste?

I had to watch Kenyan music videos a lot. I was confused though as I did not know what elements to pick and still maintain my identity as an Eritrean. Eritrean style of music is conservative and ethnic, while Kenyan style is more modern. From the two styles, I picked what could work for me, and that was how the song ‘El Shaddai’ was born. It was professionally done. That was a bold move. At the time, I felt I had to introduce Eritrea to the Kenyan people through the song. It echoes the nine tribes of Eritrea and the cultures.

Yet the song was nominated for the KMVA and XTREEM TEENIS awards as the best cultural gospel song of 2013 and best cultural gospel video. Did that come as a shocker to you?

I did not campaign for my winning because I had been in the limelight for three months, and I felt that I did not deserve a win that fast. It was my first nomination and I decided to let it slip. The nomination was enough for me. The fact that they put me in the Kenyan category and not a foreign one was honouring. The nomination was also a big welcome for me to the Kenyan gospel ministry.

Your two songs ‘El Shaddai’ and ‘Nakuabudu’ are in Amharic language, how do you connect with the Kenyan audience?

The songs are a reflection of my life. It is in Kenya where I transformed from a girl to a woman. I prepared for eight years where I took the time to understand the Kenyan audience and a way I could interact with them through music. I believe I can connect with my audience in any language I sing in.

How do you feel about Christian persecution going on in Eritrea?

I was introduced to a Pentecostal Church by a friend when I was 12 years old and got saved. The most known religion in Eritrea was Orthodox and there are people who wanted to do away with Christianity. The persecution comes in many forms and from different areas. There are people who face more severe persecution than others. Eritrea is still going through Christian persecution. I hope to see political and religious freedom soon.

How did you deal with the death of your older brother when he was killed in the Ethiopian-Eritrea war and death of your father afterwards?

It was traumatising for my family because he joined the military in 1998 when he was 18 years old. When we were informed about his demise in 2002, my family was shaken. I had to be strong for them because we could not all crush. My father was so distressed that he died six months later. I was furious at him. He had come from work one evening and he told my mother that he was going to die that night. I kept thinking that if he knew he was going to die, then he had the power to stop it. Fearing that we would not survive with him gone, I was forced to go back to work three days after his death. It was hard for me because i didn’t mourn my dad the way I should have.

What was the point that you mourned for his death?

Until two years ago, I had never imagined that the two were dead. I broke down when I narrated my story during therapy. It seemed as if he had just died and I had learnt of it, yet eight years had passed. In the therapy session, I realised that he could not stop death even if he knew it and it was not his fault he died.

You were once in an abusive relationship. How did you manage to get out of it?

Leaving took too long and I watched him abuse me emotionally and psychologically but never physically. At that point in life, I did not know who I was and had low self-esteem. It was easy for him to abuse me. Through the relationship, God taught me the value of self-esteem and I retraced my self-identity and told myself that no one will ever abuse me again.

What inspired you to start Zemare Productions House?

Before the idea to open the production house came to mind, I had noticed that there are few cartoons that are not violent and with vulgar language. I wrote a script and a friend encouraged me to start my own TV show because of my scripting abilities. I ended up with a production house and it pays most of my bills.

What would be your advice to fellow women?

An abusive man does not look for a beautiful woman; he might notice her beauty but he doesn’t treasure it. An abusive man looks for a weak heart and a woman is abused because she does not know her identity. Women don’t have to put up with an abusive man. God has great plans for you and an abusive man is not one of them.

Photo: Courtesy