Phieso, A Rare Talent Who Deserves Your Attention.

While majority of young people are lazing around and whining about the lack of jobs, Phieso aka Phieso Afficial is using her talent in music and modelling to make a living for herself.

On the surface, 21year old Phieso may seem like any other dancehall talent, and a young artist who is trying to make a name for herself among the crowded field of others who are on the same train as she is. But when you dig deeper and you will find an artist that is unlike any of her contemporaries.

“This girl is a different breed of talent. She is a lyricist who promotes positivity and self-worth through her words. She is bringing dancehall music back to its roots and especiallyhowherlyricsconnects so well with her audience. Her dancing moves are out of this world,” said Rickie Becko, the director of her latest video track.

Her Songs

Phieso has done a couple of songs and two videos with “Queen of Ndombolo”, a dancehall single recorded by Xhoods Production Featuring Artist Chaos Deah and released in March 2016. Being her first track, the manner in which it endeared to the youth in Kenya was amazing.

Queen of Ndombolo did so well and even appeared in Mseto East Africa. It has also been a regular in several local Tv stations.

She plans to release her latest track,“Wickedest Love” this September. This track has been produced by Versatile Kenya and directed by Rickie Becko.

Phieso has also done an audio, “Sikuelewi”, still produced by Versatile Kenya, which she believes will be a hit too.

Phieso performing on stage in a past event

Challenges

Some of the challenges as a young artist have been that it has been hard for herto be accepted as a dancehall artist in a field purely dominated by men.

“It has been an uphill task to have my music played in entertainment clubs or in radio stations since Deejays tend to ignore less known artists. They resist to play your tracks, not even to test the mood of their revelers.Anyway, the biggest challenge lies in finances coz you got to invest heavily to make it in music,” she said.

She reckons that to produce a professional audio, for instance, will cost an artist sh. 15,000 to say the least.

She also points out that the entertainment business is quite difficult to young girls especially the fact that they usually perform in clubs at night, which poses a great risk for their safety. Parents too have not embraced entertainment as a career and they fight tooth and nail to discourage their kids from this line of business.

Phieso has to fight for her space when it comes to secret admirers who keep pursuing artists for relationships.

“Fans exert too much pressure to usfor relationships but one has to learn how to balance their personal life with their careerso as to, first, not to offend their fans and at the same time they don’t injure their reputation as celebrities,” she explains.

Phieso also has a bone to pick with Kenyan artists who she says don’t support upcoming artists. She reckons that majority of them perceive upcoming artists as threats and therefore fight to suppress their shoot to stardom. This, she adds, is unlike in our neighbouring Tanzania where renowned artists docollabos with very little known fellows, thereby helping them rise in the industry.

Otherwise, Phieso says that she uses these challenges as motivators to work harder so as to achieve her dream as a top notch dancehall star in Kenya and the world.

“Rickie Becko has been of great help to me. He is a renowned director whose music is played all over. By partnering with him, the sky is just the limit for me. Nonetheless, I will keep seeking more avenues as in shows and other opportunities that will come my way,” adds Phieso.

In the next few years, Phieso sees herself dining with the high and mighty in the entertainment industry.

Her advice to upcoming artists

“If at all music is your passion, just go for it but remember, being a musician is not an easy thing. You need to devote all your time and energy into your thing. Money and fame is not everything and for your information, they don’t come easy. You got to work your way up by giving it your best. Above all, this industry calls for a lot of patience. If it doesn’t work with the first few releases, just work harder and partner with a few guys who will help you climb the music ladder.”

She also calls for the government as well as other organisations to come up with programmes to nurture youth talents especially at the grassroots level where she says, so much talent and gifts go to waste, eventually leading to so many youth turning into drug abuse and crime out of frustrations.

Phieso’s mentors.

“The Late Jay Capri who died sometimes last year, is my greatest inspiration in the music industry. Her musical works really work me on. Spice Chris Hamilton, another Jamaican dancehall artist, is also one of my favourite artists. Here in Kenya, I am a darling to Versatile Kenya who happens to be my producer too.”

Other careers

“Apart from singing, I am a commercial model who has done a couple of event around the country. I have also been a model judge in a few events. I do also design fashion attire though this time I have concentrated more on my musical career,” she said.

Hobbies
 

“During my free time, I prefer to go swimming, I like travelling so much and above all I am partyholic. I also like making new friends.” Said Phieso.

Born in Kahawa West, Nairobi County, Phieso went to Marion Preparatory School before joining Kiburia Girls High School in Kirinyaga County. After her Form Four, she was admitted to Mount Kenya University (MKU) Thika Main Campus where she studied Tourism and Travel Management.

She has been very active in school, performing in various occasions since her primary school days. She a crazy fan of Jamaican music and especially dancehall music.

To get in touch with Phieso, you can contact her via her Facebook Account, https://www.facebook.com/fieso.fieso or Twitter handle https://twitter.com/KimataPhieso. She is also on Instagram.