Chronicle Editor
Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Reporter
DAY in and day out, new names in the music industry emerge and the latest figure is songwriter cum vocalist 26-year-old Petronella Matipa.
The Bulawayo-born and bred artiste joined the music industry in 2015 but only managed to release her first studio work last year.
Judging from the features from her debut project, it shows the songstress is destined for greater heights.
Chronicle Showbiz spoke to Matipa who goes by the stage name Lalla, and gave a glimpse of her journey in the music fraternity.
“I cannot say I was inspired by anyone to join the industry but it is something that came from within because I do not come from a musical background nor was my environment surrounded by musicians.
“I used to write a lot and fell in love with poetry. I attended a lot of poetry slams in Bulawayo though I never performed so gradually I found myself doing some rhymes, started rapping then tried out singing and I’ve been doing so ever since,” she said.
Lalla who is a Zimbabwe College of Music Harare branch graduate, introduced herself to the public last year in December when she released her debut EP, I am Lalla, which featured the likes of Vuyo Brown, Tebza, Anita Jaxson among others.
“Last year l took the opportunity to test my capabilities and this was through the release of an EP titled I am Lalla. The EP has tracks namely Shaka, Gare gare featuring Jah Seed and Vuyo Brown, I wanna dance featuring Eddy Kenzo (from Uganda), Masaka Kids Africana and Anita Jaxson, Ngoba ngiyakuthanda featuring DDP and Tebza, Nakupenda featuring Eddy Kenzo and Stoan and Thula sana featuring Stoan (Bongo Muffin member).
“Recently I have been featured on DJ Fleur’s song Siyaphana asijoli together with Ntosh Gazi (of the John Vuli Gedi fame) and DJ Jabs,” said Lalla.
She also has been featured on several projects with artistes who include Dino SuperDee Gemmano from Italy, Tayo Wink from the US, DJ Quincy in the UK and Lalo Leyy from Mexico.
“I would say my style is defined by the tonality of my voice, many people say it got a unique tone and feel which makes it easy for one to identify me in a song.
“I mostly sing about love and sometimes gospel because of my spirituality and beliefs and obviously some social commentary where I sing of the things we see and hear from where we stay,” said Lalla.
She said she is working on a couple of singles to be released this festive.
@mthabisi_mthire
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