AFTER a decade in the music industry, Afro-pop and Kwaito singer Robbah TJ said he has been finding it difficult to navigate the ginormous and very competitive music industry.

However, despite the challenges he had to endure, the singer, real name Robert Nghifikwa, said he will keep paving his way to the top. “It has not been easy and the beginning was quite hard, especially to find proper producers and record quality songs. So, it’s been very hard to penetrate and make a name for myself in the industry,” he told VIBEZ!

However, after signing under Numba Busy Entertainment, a record label owned by popular musician Fishman, he said they have been working even harder to penetrate the industry. “We are making good progress, and my current focus is to educate people about life issues through music,” said Robbah TJ.  Hailing from Okongo, Robbah TJ joined the music industry in 2014. He grew up in a musical household and was always surrounded by renowned performers from an early age.

That also instilled a sense of purpose and a passion for music, he said. “I am simply here to carry on our family legacy. In a nutshell, I am a natural performer, and I am just here to offer my talent as a musician and songwriter, as well as to make my mark in the Namibian music industry. This is why I chose to educate others via music, as music has helped me in my life journey,” he explained.

Asked his opinion on the current music industry, Robbah TJ said: “We all know the music industry is the hardest industry to make a living of. However, I always come home and start thinking what songs to write next; it’s my passion”. He added that he would like to build a strong brand, and continually provide music that people can relate to. “I really want to have a positive impact on people through music, but my major goal is to represent Namibia on a global level, and one day, do collaborations with some of the big artists in South Africa. But first, I’m hoping on working with some of the local guys in Namibia; I want to start home first.” Robbah TJ has so far released three albums and has a string of single tracks under his belt.

He plans to surprise his fans with another album this year. The singer further mentioned that his recent album ‘First Aid’, which was launched in December, is still available for purchase, and his music lovers can contact him on his social media pages.

- ashikololo@nepc.com.na