My first Magazine Life Today Magazine | Page 27

COVER STORY through my gifts; Singing, writing and once in a while I speak. I will soon have platforms where I can speak to people and impact lives especially to ladies.

She says she is a bit of an introvert and I give a comment that she does not seem too shy.( She Chuckles).“ Well …. people don’ t really get it, but I am camera shy. I can easily write, that is how best I express myself.”

Musical Journey.

“ I started in Sunday school, I grew up going to Thika Methodist Church, and within the year there is a competition whose agenda is bringing young people together socially.” She explained. Little Laura was picked out to sing during a play to be performed during the competition, she did not understand why since she was very shy and never wanted to be much involved.“ My teacher really pushed that agenda for me to sing, taught me the song and I actually sang it very well.”

From that time, she sang that same song every Sunday in church since it was the only one she knew very well but her teacher taught her more songs and that is how she fell in love with singing. She joined praise and worship team in her church and while in Riara springs high school her singing talent was nurtured and she built up her confi dence.

Achievements; Successful Music with Profound Message.

Laura is barely 21 but her music career is thriving, I am eager to fi nd out how she has accomplished that.“ You come from a point of just being saved to a point of really understanding salvation. I chose Christ, developed a good reading culture and listening to really good music.” She continues to explain how she has managed to climb up the ladder of success in the music industry at such a young age while still in campus.“ It’ s not about balance, it’ s about priorities. When I wake up Monday morning, what’ s my priority for this day? I have classes, I attend, and if I have time in between I do something else especially writing. My weekends are ministry packed, it is manageable when you have your priorities right.”

Karwirwa being exceptionally positive and so passionate about music, she decided to take up challenges even when her producer told her to mature her voice and music fi rst before getting her song recorded and she did exactly that.“ I understood what that meant, funny enough it didn’ t hurt me so I took voice classes with a friend, then recorded the song Natamani Nikuone in July 2015 and it was released in September.”

“ Allow God’ s timing to work things out, mine has been a gradual process.”

She recalls it was on 20th September 2015, her ministry was dedicated in church and her song did really well few days after she released. All of a sudden she started getting attention from everyone, media, men and she was overwhelmed to a point she hibernated but later learnt to deal with all that.“ It takes a lot to be a musician and be exposed to the public.”

Laura gets her inspiration from life events; especially whatever she has seen other people go through, how God has allowed her to see things around her but still protected her from being a victim from all that. She looks up to Sinach, Tasha Cobes, Kambua and Joyce Omondi.“ Music is a combination of purpose and passion.” She recounts how the concert to launch her album was a journey, a lot went into planning it and how it served as a confi rmation that God has called her. She terms it as the best thing that happened in her music career. She performed at major gospel events( Totally Sold Out and Groove Party Concerts) just 3 months into her career; Won her fi rst award Extreem Awards Female artist of the year and got two nominations for the groove awards. She however states,“ I’ m not really big on winning awards especially the ones you have to get votes from people texting and such; of course people have a way of manipulating systems.”

“ An award will have much meaning when it is awarded on merit.”

Good Girl Walking in her Purpose

How do you manage to put out songs that are not controversial and still do well in the chartists? I ask following the controversy building up in the gospel industry. Of course this question had to come up but according to Laura, challenges have to be there but artists should not be caught up in the pressure of making music just because people want to listen to songs and end up giving them music that raises eyebrows.“ Before putting out a song, fi rst it has to make sense to me and has to be from God. When God gives you a message it won’ t be contradicting. To budding musicians, understand what music really means to you. Whatever you chose to be, be good at it. As for me, I’ m really out to serve.”

God has been faithful and my parents have been very supportive.

LIFE TODAY MAGAZINE Issue 2, No. 003 / 17 / March 2017 27