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Hard work pays: Stimela

Life & Style
Stimela, who is also on a mission to release single tracks of her own, cleared the air to fans who have been asking whether or not she would abandon Jah Prayzah and the Third Generation band.

BY AGATHA CHUMA BEST known for her energetic dances she showcases in Jah Prayzah’s videos and shows, Fatima “Stimy Stimela” Katiji is, indeed, a bundle of energy.

She said the secret to her consistency in the arts industry was perseverance, adding that a recent tour with Nora Chipaumire also opened her eyes.

She described the tour as an amazing experience during which she learnt many things.

Stimela was on a Tour in the United States’ Colorado working on an opera entitled Nehanda with contemporary artiste Chipaumire, who she met in 2016 in theatre performing Portrait of Myself as My Father.

Nehanda is a musical story on Mbuya Nehanda. The performance is designed as an immersive, participatory and durational spectacle in which participants collectively perform and investigate the process.

Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style, Stimela said while touring with Chipaumire for 45 days, she leant that hard work pays.

“It was amazing working with Chipaumire because every single day, I get to learn something from her and she being a dedicated soul into her work, I learnt that nothing comes for free and she taught me that being loyal to your work yields good results,” she said.

“During our tour, I got to meet professional dancers who taught me new dance moves which I enjoyed.

“From working in theatre, I also learnt discipline and patience as we used to sit for hours in the theatre. It was really an honour to be part of such an amazing adventure, I must say. I am equipping myself with the knowledge I got from the artists I met in Colorado.”

Stimela, who is also on a mission to release single tracks of her own, cleared the air to fans who have been asking whether or not she would abandon Jah Prayzah and the Third Generation band.

“I have been working with Jah Prayzah for a decade now and it was through working with him that most people got to see and admire me and also want to work with me, so I am going to continue working with him until there is no longer music in this world. So to my fans, I say worry not,” she said.

“I am yet to conquer the world in the arts so watch out for Stimy. I don’t know when satisfaction is going to come, but I will keep working until I am satisfied because art defines who I am and I find peace in art and music.”

Stimy is the founder of StimyBee Arts factory in Mabvuku, which grooms children from five years of age how to dance, music and theatre and so far has 30 children. She is working together with her sister Beauty.

Before working with Jah Prayzah, she worked with her sister Edith WeUtonga, Alexio Kawara, Diana Samkange, Josh Meck and Gift Amuli, just to mention a few. She has one single track Garandichauya, which was produced at JP Studios.

  • Follow Agatha onTwitter @AgathaChuma