Once in a while, I sing through torment Meet Burna Boy’s firework reinforcement singer, Christina Matovu
Assuming you joined in or watched the recap of Burna Boy’s new live show at Madison Square Garden (MSG), New York, you probably saw the furious female reinforcement artist influencing to the mood existing apart from everything else, as she delivered lilting vocals.
She goes by Christina Matovu, an Ugandan, who has burned through the vast majority of her years in London constructing and sustaining a remarkable inborn gift in music.
This is the degree of Matovu’s vocal engraving: a reinforcement voice that doesn’t look for consideration, yet is so great it gets it.
Anything that impression you had subsequent to watching the band’s exhibition with Burna Boy would be concretised when you are finished perusing this meeting.
Christina conveys a sincere awareness for the African culture. She knows about the power she conveys as an individual of color, the balance, the obvious presence. She wears her crown with extraordinary balance sufficiently able to hold any individual who doesn’t just tune in yet watch her. In any case, she saves regard and love for her manager Burna Boy who has reliably offered her a strong stage to clean as well as succeed in her art.
This meeting, held over a comfortable Whatsapp call, was a rollercoaster of feelings, and upbeat chuckling. Christina addresses Trendnotch about her enthusiasm for music, tracking down evident confidence in her vocals and getting to turn out intently for quite some time with the undisputable African Giant himself.
We should get to know who Christina Matovu is?
I’m Douglas Paul Sengendo’s sister. I’m Diana Nanteza’s girl, and I am Christine Hubwama’s granddaughter, who I am named after. I’m African, East-African; I am Ugandan, British conceived. Furthermore, I am situated in London, where I grew up with my grandma and mom. God and music join us as a family. Music is something I have been encircled by from adolescence. It had an extremely gigantic effect on us as a family and I began to view it in a serious way from the age of eight when I joined different ensembles, performing on birthday celebrations. Singing in chapel was something I am appreciative to have had the potential chance to begin with. I began with God and that has kept me and is making a big difference for me; a similar God, yesterday, today and for eternity. I’m thankful for my excursion; and my story, I can see it how it is correct now in this meeting. God has changed my story and I am grateful for the examples I had growing up, that ladies are strength and substance. This has shown me self-esteem and regarding oneself and considering oneself responsible for what they feel is correct and not about what they believe they want.
What’s Music to You?
Music is the demulcent to my spirit. It adds to my recuperating in such countless ways. It is my type of love, my type of contemplation to survive, a type of taking myself back to a condition of harmony. I can sing through torment that occasionally makes me cry since I mean each note and each word. In this way, I ensure that I am mindful with that, that is a power I can’t mishandle. Since I know the impact music has on me, I can hardly comprehend the impact I am having on individuals that are paying attention to what I am mending through.
How was it experiencing childhood in Uganda?
I was brought into the world in the UK, and afterward we went to live in Uganda for about a year after things didn’t work between my folks. I had returned to London where I was raised by my grandma, while my mom was this way and that from Uganda to London. In any case, we really do venture out to Uganda oftentimes.
Take us through the memory of finding the uniqueness of vocals in music?
I found that I had an energy for music from the age of eight. Also, again it was a direct result of the melodic impacts that I had in my family, beginning with my grandma, down to my mom and sibling. My grandma came to the UK during the 1940s on a singing grant in Liverpool. Music has been an exceptionally huge piece of my family ancestry. One of the center impacts on where I am today is my sibling who has been creating music for quite a while since our life as a youngster. He had a band back in the days called, “The Extreme Impacts” and we went around with him as a family, supporting him in shows and contests that he would win with his bandmates. I had the option to gain some useful knowledge from them and integrate into my melodic excursion. Later on, throughout everyday life, I would read up music for A-Level and get a Diploma in Vocals. Along these lines, it’s simply lovely the way in which history rehashes the same thing and sets me in a position where I can take this farther than anybody that has had the option to do it in my loved ones.
My acknowledgment began in the UK gospel scene when I began doing reinforcement vocals for various UK gospel artistes. What’s more, that happened until the age of twenty preceding I got the chance to go into the London gospel ensemble with the assistance of a sister named Rachael, where I would now begin singing expertly, and got the calling of being a social performer. There were different aspects to my turning into an artist, and it’s been developing. Presently I am in the position where I currently back the greatest Afrobeats artiste presently. It just causes me to understand that all that I found en route has set me up for this position. I’m exceptionally grateful to God for not screwing up.
So have you progressed from gospel music to common music?
It was anything but a change, it was more about the open door. I had a valuable chance to expand my viewpoint since there is something else to music besides gospel music. Gospel music is a class; music, as a rule, is generally about God. It actually deciphers, whether I am marking common or singing gospel, God is in each and all that I do. It doesn’t mean I need to be behind the podium. I can be in the sanctuary of what God addresses and that represents itself with no issue.
How could it meet Burna Boy interestingly?
I was exceptionally anxious whenever I first met Burna. I had respected him from a remote place for a long time. Furthermore, presently working with him, so that was a 360 second for me. You meet individuals that you respect in your specialty or hands on work and it’s very reassuring. Thus, I simply needed to put forth a valiant effort, clearly, from the main show we did at Hammersmith Apollo, October 2016. I have been working with him from that point forward. I’m appreciative for the excursion that we have had, which will get its 6th year soon.
Being in Space float for a very long time, working intimately with Burna Boy and seeing his huge development on the worldwide scene
I’m exceptionally pleased with Damini and all that he has had the option to accomplish in light of the fact that he strives to achieve all that he has now. The most straightforward way for me to place this would be that Damini highly esteems the reality he doesn’t take the lift, he uses the stairwell. Also, we have been on the steps with him, so we get it. We could have joined from the fifth floor yet we were with him from that point and we have worked starting there to Madison Square Garden (MSG) New York. All that we planted as a band was rarely to no end.
The Outsider’s Band has taken as much time as necessary to contribute their hard work, in a real sense, only for him to comprehend that he isn’t the only one. That individuals are supporting and understanding his vision to join Africa as one major country. Also, in light of the fact that we are in total agreement of that vision, regardless, and the things we needed to go through… I recall us doing American visits on a transport as a band, that was where we became family. We utilized those beginning times to know one another better. Along these lines, from 2017 to 2019 was actually a difficult period for Burna Boy and the pariahs’ band since we were just as yet learning each other’s personalities.
Additionally being the main female in a male-overwhelmed band, you can barely comprehend. In spite of the distinctions, I get it was the regard, in addition to the affection, that we had for one another that permitted us to set our pride to the side and work intently as a family. Presently we think back over such occasions and stay appreciative. Working with Burna kid has been an honor and it permitted me to get things done that I needed to accomplish in myself, such as having more trust in performing, claiming and being in my skin as an African lady, a dark stunning lady, a dark African lady, knowing that there’s no much space for us in the business. Presently I can easily say I am getting love from Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and any remaining African nations. It is so overpowering on the grounds that never ever did I figure I would be where I am today.
What’s your significant exhibition with Burna Boy?
Other than MSG’s exhibition, I will say the Hollywood Bowl happened a year ago. I can’t actually depict the manner in which I felt on that day yet I will make an honest effort to really express it. It was a show more than ever, profoundly. We were hitting various aspects with our presentation. I needed to show another ensemble of 15 individuals generally that I had learned in five years in two days since we didn’t have the extravagance we have now to welcome the entire band over. To God be the greatness that made the show stand apart regardless of the mental breakdowns I had the other day, fearful about showing another ensemble. That is the main time I can reference us performing “20-10-20”. Furthermore, inside that period, the primary commemoration of the Lekki cost door slaughter was coming up, and we hadn’t performed it before then, at that point, thus, the exhibition was utilized as a recognition, which moved the group.
How did you come about your social media handle “Christina Matovu The First” what space are you taking up?
It all comes from a place of knowing that I have been so oppressed and getting to a place of healing where I love myself wholly, and now see myself for who I am: Christina Matovu. There is nobody like me, and never will there be. It’s not even about taking up spaces, it’s just me in the spaces I encounter and whose life is impacted because I am in them or because they have heard my music or my story. And that is why I carry integrity along in whatever I do. As an African black woman in the music industry, I need to understand what spaces I need to be operating in, and what spaces celebrate me.
Who and what inspires you?
Well, it’s a long list. But I will start with Whitney Houston, Brandy, George Michael, The Spice Girls, Anita baker, Missy Elliott, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson and Mariah Carey. I remember how I used to rush into the sitting room as a child whenever ‘Always Be My Baby’ by Mariah Carey played so that I could sing along in time with its beginning tune. Finally, my inspiration now is really me.
Before music happened, were there previous career aspirations?
Yes, I have always loved mathematics right from when I was a child, so, I fantasised about being an investment banker. Also, I love theatre arts and have attended a couple of auditions but haven’t got the opportunity to act.
Your most favourite of all Burna Boy’s songs?
I love all of Burna’s songs, but I’ll just go with the ones that are my favourite to perform, starting with “Onyeka”. The song carries a lot of happiness in its lyrics and harmony that no matter how sad you are, listening to it will make you happy again. Sometimes, I play it repeatedly for days. And performing it, just the richness of the culture is quite beautiful. Another song I like performing is “23” just because I love it when Damini is vulnerable. Ultimately, he sings from his heart in all his songs and that is the beauty of good music.
How does it feel to be finally noticed and appreciated for your vocals in Burna boy’s songs?
If I am being honest, I don’t feel anything towards that, rather what I do feel is that I am doing my job well. At least, I know now, not that I didn’t before, but at least now I know that I have been doing my job well. Again I am very grateful, people didn’t have to notice me, and there were other people on the stage including Burna himself. For me, the focus has always and should be on him. But when the spotlight spills a little bit to my corner all I can say is thank you, God.
Let’s talk about your performance at Madison Square Garden (MSG) New York and how the music controlled, in as much as you controlled it too.
If I am being completely honest again, all I was doing was praising God. It felt like I was in two different worlds giving my best shots. I was like: “God, I am standing on MSG, in front of this massive crowd because of you. So, God give me all that I need to do my job to the best of my ability and support Damini in a way that he delivers the best of his talent today. Because I am backing this artiste and I need to do my job properly so that Damini can puncture all those holes in the sky. And in the end, only your name will be glorified.” And I kid you not, I had so much fun.
My focus, whenever I get on stage, is Burna, so, I had to study how he moves musically so that when he changes the atmosphere I will be sensitive and flow in with him. The bottom line is I am there to do my job well so that what happens at MSG, happens at MSG. I am so grateful for the way Damini allows us to shine with him too. He puts so many people on but he doesn’t speak about it because he doesn’t need to. But you will be surprised by the number of people Burna Boy has helped that turned around to bite his hands. Damini loves people and that is why his mum, who is also his manager, protects Burna from himself, sometimes, because he sometimes loves people too much. Now is his reaping season, it is an honour to witness it and be a part of the history he is making.
What should we expect from Burna boy’s next album?
Damini has done the work and I am super happy about his next album. Take note yea, ‘this whole album go burst una brains’, mark my words. This next album that is coming on his birthday in July is fire; you guys haven’t seen the best of Burna yet. Burna is such a creative that enjoys and understands the process of making great music. I assure you that Burna Boy will continue to release banger after banger because music is good to him. He understands music in a way that is so spiritual, and it can only be God and revelations.
What’s more for Christina Matovu?
Well, I will be releasing my new music this month on world’s Africa day which is on May 25th. It’s a single called “Black Sweet Dreams”. The song praises the uniqueness and existence of our black culture. This is a mandate upon me, to bring about this awareness to my people and I am glad to be doing so with my gift.
