By Arthur M. Katabalwa
Some have said that she is like a
force of nature. She certainly doesn’t shy away from any kind of artistic
confrontation. If it is to be creative whether in music or poetry, Kleo Artist
forgets about thinking outside the box. For her, there is no “box” to think
outside of. There is no “blue sky thinking”. She thinks and creates
independently leading with what her creative instincts tell her. This attitude
is what has led to her new tune Mazina
featuring Double S.
“Mazina is my first time I will
be blending Luganda and English with the drums. It has all gone well. It’s
definitely been a challenge. It’s been a
big KLEO risk!” She laughs “But I believe in representing who I am. I am a
British Ugandan. I am waving the Ugandan flag on this one.”
Kleo Artist, born Katelyn Namiiro was born in Uganda in deeply Christian families nearly 25 years ago. As a
toddler, her mother decided to relocate from Uganda to South East London,
growing up wrapped around the love of her family. “Sadly I have no
memories of Uganda as a child. I have just been shown pictures but when I left
I was way too young to form any memories”.
Life for her as a child in South
East London was not that different as a child. “We went to church. We went to
visit friends, went to school and generally messed about”. Her mother, Sanyu
Harriet, with whom they have a very close bond was very instrumental bringing her and her younger brother up. “She worked hard to make sure that we had everything that we could
have got. Certainly life wasn’t a bed of roses but we were fine.”
As a young black girl growing up
in South London, she faced the kind of prejudice and suspicion that
unfortunately has been rife in some parts of London. This kind of prejudice has
been a major influence in her fashion sense. “My fashion sense is bold” she
says without a flinch “I refuse to blend in. Blending in gets you nowhere.”
Kleo has therefore decided to depart from what is normally expected “Its
forgettable its goes unnoticed and boring.”
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| Music is my life |
With an acute sense of her
heritage, Kleo has been careful to exactly accentuate that “From a young age
being a young dark skinned girl in the UK was seen as negative, specially being
African. It was normal to bleach and have straight black hair” So this has
spawned what we see these days; a riot of colors in her hair. “I guess that’s
when I choose to shave my head do my plaits or natural hairstyles and bright
simply to break rules and represent dark skin girls.” This has been a formula
that has become her signature to date “Luckily for me it worked as a dancer
with Unique Hair” That kind of departure from the norm has led to other
opportunities for Kleo “I got stopped a lot and I was scouted for hair
modelling various amount of times simply because of the unique look.”
Kleo’s foray into music came
nearly as an accident. “I was actually first into poetry which I have posted
online on YouTube called A Kid Named
Kleopatra.” That initial work took her to other heights “From here I was
approached by a producer who told me to go studio and jump on the Rick Ross
hustle hard instrumental and try write poetry to it.”
The work within a studio
environment pointed out that artistic nature in her “It sort of came natural to
me hearing my own voice and fixing its pitch.” As a budding artist, she also
found that she could start expressing more of herself in different ways “Going to the studio became a way to express my feelings, my anger, happiness, quirkiness and
love. From there it was all the way up.”
That love for poetry started
leading her into the rapping industry. As a male dominated industry, Kleo knew
that she had a mountain to climb with further prejudices. Like the early
prejudices with race in South East London, she decided to use those ideas to
her advantage. “Having what many called then a baby voice and being dominantly
a sexy rapper instead of a muscular rapper I guess I became a threat in the UK.
Most female rappers in the UK where very noncommercial, not lady like and sounded
very masculine. So I guess for many producers, promoters and fans I was a
breath of fresh hair.”
Of her main influences Kleo has
been physically likened to TLC’s Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes “I personally love Lisa.
Being compared to her is like being compared to a legend. It’s like being
compared to one of the rappers that started the female rapping trend. So it’s
always a compliment. However personally to be honest I don’t see it.” She is
aware that as young artist many get compared to other legends. “As an artist
you will be compared to many but legends are a bonus!” She admits that she doesn’t have
“influences” in music as is accepted in mainstream media. “I have people I
support! Every artist has a unique flavor. WELL MOST!” So she supports people like Lauryn Hill and
Erika Badu “The music they compose is from within. I find that it has depth to
it. It’s not meaningless like some of the music we have in the industry. Lauryn
and Erika represent the real woman in a real world. My main idea is to blend
the flavors from music. For example my song Come Too Far I also tap into that depth;
a real woman in a real world.”
As for having an influence, her
pull to do her “own thing” makes it difficult. “I don’t have particular influences! If you’re different you want to be in a league of your own. People
can try catch up and follow but it will be very difficult! Luckily for me I
come as I am! People are excited to just see and hear what I do without any
influences! I have been told there is gap for me in the UK and the Ugandan
market!” She laughs.
Ugandan music is also important
to her and she has a number of artists she listens to “Yes I listen to Sheba
Karungi, Irene Ntale, A Pass….. A lot of them really. I am Ugandan so I have to
listen to my own. I support my own people.” Recognizing their strengths as well
she accepts that she doesn’t draw a lot from them artistically “I am not
drawing anything from them simply because I feel we are all different artist.”
Her locality as a Londoner presents different feelings and experiences from
which she draws from. “Essentially I am a UK rapper from East London.” Although
of Ugandan descent Kleo realizes her sound is basically English. “I also know
that many are singers.” So on artistic references, Kleo knows that in many ways
they will sound different.
Working and creating within the
London music scene doesn’t come easy. “The local music scene in London is
BOOMING right now. There is talent everywhere. .You have to be different to stand out.
Hence why am introducing the Ugandan flair.”
She advises those
trying out as new either in London or in Uganda; “Stay relevant, be unique but
stay classy. Being relevant, being current, being famous does not mean you go
where the wind takes you or to follow what the industry says you have to do. Do
what makes you happy. Once you forget the fun in music and start following the
money and success I feel you are in trouble. You will hit dead ends due to
desperation. Have a plan have a team and pray that God protects and pushes your
movement.”
Many people look at musicians
with envy. The expectation is that one reaps a lot of benefits; a lot of wealth
and fame. Kleo is trying to keep focused “Yes most musicians like fame. I also
want it but I want to do it my way. I want to help my team grow want to give
back. I do music simply to make people dance enjoy themselves! There are
different ways of looking at success! Many will have different levels to
success! I feel like I have succeeded already! The fact I make people happy the
fact I can pay what I have to support my team makes me content and happy. If
one is a greedy artist, people are a put off and they begin to think they are
worth more than they are. It’s wrong.”
Kleo reckons that she gets her
“loud” style from her mother. “My mum styles me and my grandmother was a
designer so I guess it got carried down the family. I and mum always try to
challenge what’s on trend. My mum does not like normal. She has an unusual,
uncommon and eccentric sense of style. So dressing me is easy for her. I do my
hair and she works with whatever I do with it. Having a young Mummy is a BONUS!”
She trails off in her heavy East London English accent. “From a young age I was
fascinated by her sense of style. The colors and change of styles weekly amazed
me. But ideally with my height and body structure people struggle to find
clothing that fits my upper and bottom part” That is where her mother becomes
very instrumental “She knows where to go and when to go.
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| Kleo modeling a Gomesi with an interesting twist to it. |
Her mother as well is the most
singular important person in her life “We have been close forever. She is my
mentor, she is my supporter, she is my rock. She knows every step I take in my
music. Coming from shows to outfits to upcoming songs, She helps me plans songs
and tells me if Ugandans will understand what am saying if am pronouncing
things right. My mother helps me calm down when I start stressing especially
where people delay, mess or tamper with projects. She’s basically the best mum
an artist could ask for. She is also a well-respected patient loving Christian
woman that judges no one but loves everyone.”
Her mother who has been listening
in to the interview quietly but firmly adds; “Kleo has been a very smart girl
from a young age so I know she will be ok in the music industry. As a kid, she
was very creative I predicted she would somehow be in the entertainment industry. I have no problem with it. God is in control
and I know she will and is doing great.” The two have a double edged
relationship as a daughter-mother relationship but to her mother, being a mom
comes first “My relationship as her mother is first. She’s part of me. So
anything that hurts her affects me. I try not worry and put all my trust in God
to protect her and give her guidance. She knows what she is doing.”
Plans are afoot for her to visit
Uganda in the near future. “Yes very soon I should be coming to Uganda this year in the summer. I will be shooting four videos. I will also visit some schools,
visit my village. I may do a tour. I also want to finally see my grandmother
and just enjoy my summer back in Uganda. It has been a long time.”
