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Youth Interactive Writer
Final year Yale-NUS College, Singapore student Mpiwa Gwindi has raised the country flag high after being tasked to write and perform the 2023 anthem for the annual World Food Forum Flagship event held in Italy, Rome.
The flagship event was held at the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) headquarters from October 16th to the 20th.
Mpiwa who is majoring in International Relations and minoring in Environmental Studies, composed a song under the theme: “Transforming agrifood systems accelerates climate action”.
The former World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) medallist put up a scintillating solo performance during her segment.
Surprisingly the song “Together” was performed in in four languages Shona, French, English, and, Italian.
Speaking at the sidelines of the event, Mpiwa said was happy to take part in such a grand occasion, having that opportunity as a Zimbabwean to showcase her talent.
“It was an honour to write, sing and perform a song that identifies with not just what I know and care about thus the youth, unity, and innovation, but also what others believe in,” she said.
“It was so powerful singing, a song with a message and it was so
much fun. I love the song and I am not even tired of it.”
“Being recognised by a major international institution like the UN and the FAO is empowering.
“I performed in front of about 11 country presidents, ministers, and ambassadors, including the director general of FAO, Qudong Yu.” She said such an opportunity shows the support of the art in the environmental sector, which is an untapped resource.
“I am proud and honoured to be a vessel for bringing such awareness and fun. Regarding my career, I know I want to pursue doing work in foreign affairs, diplomacy, and international relations,” said Mpiwa.
“I love languages and cultures, and the major honour I have had of travelling to many countries also feeds into that. I want to continue my music, so if I can find a way to mesh those two passions (like what I am doing here at FAO), then that is what I like to call the sweet spot.”
Chronicling how she got the spot, she said, was from a friend.
“My friend who was interning at the FAO in her third and final month got the idea to submit my portfolio as an artist recommendation for the flagship planning team.”
“I received an email that the FAO team was considering me as the WFF 2023 Anthem writer and singer. It was an unbelievable honour. The FAO team reached out to me requesting me to write and compose a song in light of the theme: “Transforming Agrifood systems accelerates climate action”.
“After arranging a Zoom meeting for more information and familiarisation with the workings of the UN and the FAO, the FAO team was delightfully surprised to know that my university major and minor and passions involve International Relations and Environmental Studies.”
“I would describe it as me having understood the assignment, because they requested, as I wrote in my notes: “write a 1.5 to 2 min upbeat anthem that highlights the 2023 theme and also focus on youth and unity”.
Mpiwa said nevertheless she got the opportunity, she said it was a mammoth task.
“Although I got what they wanted me to do, it was a challenge.”
“The first thing I thought was how am I going to do all of that in a two-minute song?” she cited.
“Additionally, lyrical drafts were to be submitted in the first half of August. I had one month to write lyrics, the next month to compose an upbeat tune, and a few weeks of concurrent recording, mixing, and mastering so that I could have a song ready by October 1, in preparation for the international event on October 16.”
She said wrote the song and workshopped the lyrics through firstly song writing, and top lining (writing lyrics based on an existing beat). “Making a song with a catchy hook and a succinct message is a challenging albeit fulfilling experience.”
“Even more so on the beat itself to which I give credit to Emmanuel Chiwanga, a.k.a Manuchie, a producer who worked with Gemma Griffiths, Aish, and Tammy Moyo among others,” she said.
Mpiwa said apart from this project, she has 12 songs.
“My music is available for streaming worldwide, six of them are from my 2022 extended play, and the other six are singles released from 2021 to date,” she said.
Online Reporter