12-Year-Old Kenyan Singer David Wowing The Showbiz Industry

                                                      David Hermlin  

By Kevin Oguoko 

Pulse: You have many talents. What is your specialty?

David: I started playing drums when I was three years old after seeing my dad play with his band back in Germany. At the age of five, I started to tap-dance through the inspiration of Fred Astaire (who is considered the godfather of tap-dancing). At the age of nine, I had learnt to do all Michael Jackson dance moves, then, I started singing.

P: Award-winning Kenyan producer Dr Eddie, is producing all your songs. How did the two of you link up from Germany?

D: My mom and his wife are long time friends, so that is how the connection came by. I came over for holidays and we managed to produce my debut single Perfect Paradise. That is how we set the ball rolling.

P: So far, what have you achieved in terms of music?

D: I have had the opportunity to perform in one of the largest stages in Germany, The Friedrichstadtpalast, which is the biggest theatre hall in Berlin and among the top in the whole of Europe. I also performed on the same stage with Sarah Connor who is currently the biggest female pop star in Germany. I toured with her on a series of shows on her tour. We also did a duet together.

P: How was it performing in such a big stage with such a popular artiste?

D: Surprisingly, at 12, I don’t have stage fright. The audience ranged from between  2,000 to 5,000 people in different concerts. Touring with Sarah was like “Wow…ooh my God” at first but as time went by, it got pretty normal and there was no big deal about. One of the most memorable moments was when she was performing and I got on stage to do my tap-dancing bit and three-quarter of audience went up on their feet to applaud.

P: Getting all these music business deals at your age is a major achievement, which a lot of people much older than you would only wish for. Who or what is the force behind your success?

D: I have always been a bit pushy. I insist on doing things on my own including writing my songs and doing my own choreography. My parents have also been a great deal of help. My mom introduced me to this amazing music and my dad, who is a performer with a famous jazz band in Germany, used his connections to get my music career going.

P: How do you compare Kenya and German, musically?

D: The Kenyan industry is still pretty small. The German industry is wide and has a lot of genres. Berlin City alone has more than 30 radio stations each playing different genres of music. The show performance fees are also high.

P: So with all those opportunities, why did you come to Kenya to produce?

D: Kenya is my country. It’s not about what the Kenyan industry can do for me, but what I can do for it. I want to give back to Kenya and have Kenyans appreciate what I’m doing here at home. I have to make a name for myself in Kenya first before I spread my wings.

P: How is a normal weekday for you?

D: I go to school during the day, then I go for different practices till around 8pm. I have piano lessons, tap dancing lessons as well as choreography all spread out through the week.

P: That is not easy for a guy your age, right?

D: It’s not easy but that’s show business. It’s what I signed up for and I want it. I want to be an international superstar.