Against the current

Although Korean, Candice Soojin Newcomb aka Silk, 16, sings in fluent Kiswahili. She tells Shirley Genga what she’s up to

When did you begin singing?

I started singing when I was a little girl. My parents are pastors so I would sing in the church. When I was ten, I told my father I wanted to be a singer. I thought he would tell me to focus on school first, but he supported me. Together with my mum, they make my videos and do everything they can to help me realise my dream.

Why the name Silk?

Initially, Silk was my home name. Jack Odongo, a family friend, nicknamed me Silk because my skin was very soft when I was young.

When did you release your first album?

I released Out of The Mouth of Babes when I was 12. The album was a great learning experience for me. I was not vocally trained then and doing the videos was a bit difficult. I worked with producer Gidi Kimanzi and the album spurned hits like Africa, Nimebadilika with Ringtone, Superstar and My oh My with Rufftone. Kazana is my latest single.

In the single Nimebadilika you sing in Kiswahili all through, do you know the language well?

People are so surprised when I speak Kiswahili because I’m fluent in it. I grew up in Limuru and even went to a public school. Apart from Kiswahili, I also speak Kikuyu, Korean and French.

What type of a childhood did you have?

My parents moved to Kenya in 1994 to preach the Gospel and they liked the country. They stayed in Nairobi for two years before they moved to Limuru in 1996 where I have grown up since. When it came time to go to primary school, they let me decide whether I wanted to go through the 8-4-4 system or GCE. I chose 8-4-

While in primary, my parents and I had an outreach programme for 200 kids. We called it ‘Super Saturday’ and every Saturday kids from my school would come over and have lunch while they learnt about God. I really enjoyed my childhood. I am currently at Premier Academy in Parklands, Nairobi.

Are you an only child?

Although I’m the only child to my parents, I would not call myself an only child because my parents have always taken care of other kids who needed help. Last year, we were nine kids at home, so I have always had people around and it has been fun.

Why did you choose to do Christian music?

I come from a Christian background and I love Jesus. I started singing from Sunday school, but now at 16, I’m realising I do not want to restrict myself to one area. In the new album, I’m doing a single Coming back, which is contemporary and maybe a little secular. The song urges those who have strayed from God to come back. I have featured upcoming singer, Shiv Sigh. When you first listen to it, it sounds secular, but I make sure I do not sing anything against my faith. I hope people will like it.

It’s been almost two years since we heard anything from you, why?

I took a break to concentrate on my studies, but this year I plan to release my second album. I have been working on my music during the holidays.

Who have you worked with in this album?

I’ve worked with Ulopa, Busy B and Pragna, a Ugandan singer, just to name a few.

Which singer do you admire most?

I absolutely love Emmy Kosgei. She is talented and cultural. She has managed to make her culture work without selling out to modern culture. I also love Eko Didah. His lyrics are not only funny and interesting, but they puck a punch.

You have worked with big names in the gospel world, what was it like?

At first I was a little intimidated, but I realised they are so nice and easy to work with. They do not walk around with the label ‘I am a celeb’. They are down to earth.

Who is your role model?

My mum. She is so passionate about her love for God. She travels around the world spreading the Gospel. She loves God so much that there is nothing she will not go through for God.

What do you do when you are chilling?

I reflect a lot and I also I love doing hair — experimenting with different hairstyles. When I’m with my best friends, Rachael and Nyokabi, we have sleepovers. During sleepovers, we dance, listen to music and talk all night.

What else do you do apart from singing?

I also act. I have recently acted in the film Hosea’s Wife, which is about a wife who cheats on her husband where I act as the house girl. A few years ago, I also acted in a film called Saving Christmas.

Tell us about the television show you shot recently.

It’s a reality show called ‘African Physique’ . Every week, we will be picking a sport and highlighting it. It is a show that will educate people on how to live healthy, lose excess weight, but most importantly, how to maintain the African physique. I am one of the presenters.

It was a nerve wrecking experience. Doing music is not the same as hosting a show. Getting the right facial expression is tricky and I sometimes shrub (laughs). I also get very self-conscious. We have only done the pilot episode and are hoping to get good feedback from television stations we have sent to.

What is the challenge of being a gospel singer?

When you are a Christian singer, everyone expects you to be perfect. The fact that my parents are pastors does not help matters. Sometimes when I’m dressing for a function where I am likely to meet people who know my parents, I have to make sure I am very decent. The pressure to be perfect gets to me, but I’m learning that I am not perfect. I make mistakes. I am a teenager just like any other and at the end of the day I am answerable only to God.

What do you hope to do next?

To release my second album, Kazana, this year. I also hope to clear high school soon and go to USIU. My dream is to become a diplomat because I love interacting with different cultures.

Advice to other young people?

You are beautiful the way you are and you do not have to be like everyone else. Do not be a dead fish that just goes with the flow. Instead, choose to be alive and go against the current for what you believe in. Most importantly, remember that God loves you just as you are.