The only difference is that our generation is living in a post-apartheid era‘ where hope and possibilities are meeting time’.
So, it’ s important‘ to take every chance seriously, for it’ s a privilege and use it to inspire others’ who may not believe that their talent and hard work can take them far enabling them fulfil their dreams, hopes and aspirations.
As they say talent is universal but opportunity is not and we should count our blessings and use our talents to make a difference to others, as we earn our living from the same. That’ s my take.
As I end on Pretty, it’ s when she spoke about the psychological and emotional impact on singers that got my antenna up, not only what she said about it, but the fact that she was being vulnerable, letting us into her personal space and‘ being comfortable with being uncomfortable’. She opened up when asked by James Jolly, on Medici TV, whether she feels‘ wrung out’ after performing a story that is emotionally‘ heavy’, with highs and lows. After a deep sigh and a moment of silence she admitted that performing roles has a‘ huge impact’. It calls for her to dig deep into herself in order to bring out the passion of the story and the emotions of the character she is portraying. Yet she states candidly that,‘ we probably don’ t talk about it much yet it’ s at the core of our mental wellness and whole well-being’.
So how does this affect her, you may ask? She said that in order to deliver her best it is crucial that she connects with the audience, touching them as human beings. To achieve this, she needs to understand the‘ conception of the character, bringing out their feelings and passion as well as get to the core of the story’ and as with all artists she avails herself giving‘ her body and heart to the character to express their pain, hurt or joy’. After such a performance the hangover of the intriguing plot and the essence of the character stay with her for some time and she needs time to calm down. This is even more pronounced and profound when she plays the case when she performs; La Traviata or Romeo and Juliet, both which are very emotional containing‘ amazing highs and incredible lows’. This rollercoaster of emotions has a hangover effect leaving her not just drained but with feelings that are strange and out of her real personality, for she is a‘ calm, warm and happy person’. Yet she has to bring out such characters that are going through a lot and in some cases, it ends tragically, with death. And this cannot leave her feeling happy and jolly, quite the opposite and she talked about feeling‘ torn apart and having feelings that are not mine but strange and difficult to explain’.
Continuing on this trajectory she touched on the‘ excruciating feeling of loneliness’ that comes with being an opera singer. She explains that‘ creators need the space of solitude in order to be able to create and it is important that they have the space’ and likens this to pregnancy. The artist begins by conceiving an idea, rehearsing, and then performing. The performance is‘ giving birth of the idea that was conceived in solitude and then they have to deal with the feeling of emptiness and after birth depression’. On top of all this are the constant travelling and the pressure of being a successful artist made more complicated by the internet that allows all to give their opinion which cuts both ways, and‘ one can lose themselves’.
‘ So how does she handle this’? She says that early in her career, Angelo Gobbato, advised her to learn the art of separation. It is crucial she separates herself from the characters she plays; build an emotional wall as it were. The other thing that keeps her grounded by providing a constant, given the fluidity of her career, is prayer. She says at her core is a‘ prayerful person given her upbringing’. Lastly, she has friends and family who always have her back no matter what and she leans on them every now and then.
Pretty got me thinking. When we watch artists such as actors or singers, on screen, in a concert or a movie, play or concert we may not understand how their role affects them personally. We tend to be fixated and focus only on the glamour and glitz that we see or read in the media especially social media which tends to be curated. Pretty has educated us that there is another side to the coin. The lesson is that despite the glory, fame and fortune artists are just in the end human beings, just like all of us, with the joys and pains that come with their trade of trying to entertain us and eke a living from their talent. I will now appreciate them more knowing that in bringing something to my life it simultaneously takes something from them as well, unbeknownst to us.
As I end, and being a new year, I would like to give a shout out of deep appreciation to all at Marketing Africa magazine who have given us this platform to share our gift with you the reader. I count this as an exceptional blessing to me as a writer and with time I have come to deeply appreciate and value it. By availing us space and giving us freedom to choose our topics, they enable us‘ give birth’ to our ideas, a true example of a symbiotic relationship. It’ s a true exemplification that using ones candle to light another does not diminish the light from yours. And so, I am indebted to the entire team in general and William Kalombo in particular, who continuous to encourages us to keep moving on, no matter what. In an age where magazines are having their challenges, Marketing Africa stands tall in the arena. I am truly grateful of the privilege to share my thoughts in this publication which took me in when I could barely string a paragraph in 2017. Kudos team and be truly blessed.
Robert Wamai is a trainer and advertising consultant, a passionate consumer advocate and believer in the power of brands. You can engage him on this or related matters via email at: Wamairobert51 @ gmail. com.