 chopping awa kufa mwuhu wjana wujana kuwaidas begapin wa ni mkini and nuna Welcome in the studio Fortun thank you ma'am how are you fine thank you you fine thank you so um introduse yourself tawase you a name and maybe where yu go to sku um my name is Fortun Kangi and look at this camera i go to skuul at Fortun this camera and I go to skuul at Katibi ema ziwa kken pas How old are you? 8 You 8? You 8? Wow So Ha mam is also with her Kindly introduce yourself ma yeah My name is Margaret in Katha mm-hmm mama fortune yeah mama fortune So tell us about fortune maybe when she started singing and when you realized that she could sing Shinsi was young at the end of three, she used to sing. Even younger than three, if for example you put music, even if she was crying, she would stop crying and concentrate to music. A song she used to sing for me is songs that she has listened from the TV and she would get the songs and sing. She used to have that passion of singing at that age. And when she joined the school in baby class, she was chosen to present at national level poems at school. So that's the first time she went to kakamega festivals, old weeks, she left us alone and it is certain from there. When she was five, she kept insisting, mam I want to sing. I want to write my own songs. She'll write, but then she'll note, she'll need someone to guide. Okay, don't know how to sing, I don't know how to. So I need to look for a mentor who can mentor her. That was why she was old. So just getting someone, but they're expensive, I just tell her, let me just, let hope a time will come when I'll be okay. Six the same, seven the same. Now during this corona time, so now it became worse. And that is a statement she gave. Yes, that's a statement she says. Everything is locked, the school is locked, but I'm not locked. That's what she said. Then this time we went back to upcountry and she became too much. I want to sing, I want to write my own songs. She tells grandmother, my mom now, I want to sing. This time after lunch, after supper, she's with a book. She wants to write her own song. So I took it up. From there is when I struggled, I looked for someone who could assist her. And here she is. Oh nice. Fortuna, una pendakfanya nini during your free time? I love singing and also drawing. And sometimes I can play. You can? You can play. And who writes your songs for you? I always write my songs, but then I have a mentor who directs me. Who directs the writing. But you write them for yourself and then he just checks them and makes sure everything is okay. Why do you love singing so much? Because I just saw there is coronavirus, people are losing hope. Like they don't have a job, they are saying I will kill myself. So I was very afraid and I just came up with an idea. And to make them... To give them hope? Ya, to give them hope. Are you currently in school? You do online studying. Am I just studying by yourself at home? I study by myself at home. So how do you balance all these things? You say you like writing and poems, singing and studying. How do you allocate time for each and everything? It's just, you see, if it's reached time to write, I do write, if it's reached time to sing. You sing? Ya, I sing. And if it's time to study, you study. Everything with its own time. Ya. Ma'am, she said that she writes her own songs but she has a mentor who assists her. Do you play any part when it comes to assisting her in her music in any way? In terms of writing, yes I do. Because of her times, like for example spelling mistakes, she's young. Those ones she'll write to tell her this is not the right spelling. It's supposed to be this way. In terms of tune and the rest are blank. She's better running. Ya. And you see, she's a very young girl. Eight years old. Other eight year olds maybe they have not discovered their talents. They're just outside playing, maybe taking time to go and study. You think that her being so much into music, especially during this period, is taking away part of her being a child? To me, it is not. Because this is part of her child. This is part of what she likes doing. It is just like, she has insistent that I want to sing. Or if it is not her insistent, actually will not have gone to this extent of helping. So something must come out from the person so that you can now push that thing from that. Yes. If it is not inside you, even if you push it will not work. So it is part of her. Because even at times you push, like before now she came to write when she was insisting I want to write my own songs. At times you even tell her go and play. She doesn't want. I want to make this song, I want to sing. But then you know why I made her sing? So that she can stop studying me. So I said I'm going to help her maybe produce one song, or only one song. At least I say may have a song. I promise you also on my sign there. But then when you went to the studio that was not the case. I have come to love it myself too. It has not been the case because we were taking one song and then this guy tells the producer says you can get an album of five or so songs so that you can be selling the CDs. So it was an idea. So we went to go back again to the dream back and come up with several songs. So to me it was just like a matter of maybe doing it for her so that she can at least get comfortable. But then with the time I came to realize it is not, she doesn't want. It's not a one time thing. It is not a one time thing. She wants it. Like for example when the first album is out she has already started learning. So I thought one song will be enough for her and she tells me when I am excited I will be having like a hundred songs. So to her it is something she wants to to do long term. Back in the days about in these hours they were gamest such things. You need to be in school, you need to study. What measures may be as a parent or what would you tell parents out there who have children who have discovered their talents at a very young age? Maybe we have this CBC. This is what also got into my mind. When the CBC, you see they are teaching the children according to what they can do best. So we've been seeing these things in television or even around us whereby a kid is maybe killing herself or himself because of not attaining the grade. The grade they want or the parent is existing you must get this, you always tell my money. So if actually the parents we have to be if they can look at what the king can do best and then nurture that thing then I think in future we are going to be far because this kid will be doing something that is comfortable with is in from themselves and then they will grow with it. It will be better if actually the kid is growing with a talent than maybe going to get it from up when he or she is already growing. So it is good actually if you see that can say something this king can do, nurture it. It's step by step, it's step by step and everything is going to be okay. Fortun. Which musician do you look up to? Actually I have two. You have two? Okay. Who are they? The first one is David and then Masimashika. Why is it that you like David and Masimashika? Because I've known their song for a long time and they also they are like they gave me like this passion of singing gospel. Yeah. Yeah, that's why. Okay, so when you go back to school will you still continue singing when school is back full time? I think yes. You will? Yeah. Okay, what is it that you're holding there? It's a present for Masimashika. Hold it nicely. What's the present? What is inside there? Actually. You don't too. Okay, so you have any other poem that you can recite to us. Okay, so go ahead. Masimiwa William Ruto haslamu neupendo mahasla kawainua Wenenja kawalisha ifikapo 2022 tuta pepea wa shangai Wilbaro tumepata biya sharaku imarika wanao shangai Wilbaro basi wa tulete magari Hau siyo hatutakata ifikapo 2022 tuta pepea wa shangai Ali e kuchagua ni mungu vitaviotem wachi e amizake wa timiza mahasla tuafurahia ifikapo 2022 tuta pepea wa shangai agojea kwendadebe ni kanyange kubwa kubwa hatakama sinakura maombiyangu kura tosha ifikapo 2022 tuta pepea wa shangai shairilangu ukipenda ni bebe kwa Wilbaro namini furahi unavio furahia ifikapo 2022 tuta pepea wa shangai tamati sasa nafika mola awabariki salamuningi kuhune naviyongo zivote kwa jumla ifikapo 2022 tuta pepea wa shangai shukrami wow I know, who wrote the poem for you? My mother helped me Okay, maha other than financial challenges when it comes to natural fortunes talent what other challenges have you encountered? Challenges are new They are not many We sell CDs we get people to promote us actually So we met Mwishmua, our MP She really supported us We just want to put it because it has brought us certain challenges So this time Mwishmua William Brutus came to Meru and at that time on day 17 I got a phone call We are in Nairobi I got a phone call on 14th I sent the songs to Mwishmua He loved the songs He promised me that anytime she get a chance she will be inviting her So she get an invitation and I couldn't go back to upcountry because I am at work I sent her back I took her and then I came back She was taking to present Mwishmua William Brutus by the grandmother and my mum in the mentor, their company Okay, they went like everybody they are taking her to present So she called me she told me I have made a surprise and I am taking it It was locked, I don't even know what it is So you still don't know what it is Actually she said it is a surprise and she told me something that she is going to hang around the neck she is going to tell him close your eyes that was what she prepared Yes, it was a plan Together with the poem the shairi she has recited that was what she was going to present So when she arrived actually they were there at 6 am and Mwishmua was coming around 3 pm she came in a hurry so she could not get a chance to do what to perform That is one of the challenges Ok, what she encounters a challenge affects me too because now she is she is making a phone call crying mum you brought me I have not Ok, you feel it So those are some of the challenges invitations that fail but with God then I told her it was not your turn she is a believer actually and she said wakatu wa kukifika umefika So this time just relax no it was not meant for you a time will come and she told me I just want to add only the surprise then rather than going with it back she went after she was running after his car to hand over the surprise and then he could not Ok, I think the crowd was in a hurry actually was going to meet her another meeting she could not manage to hand over the she always carried everywhere whenever I am going I have left it and she hopes one day she will meet him on the way and then answer over there So I do not like discouraging her she has a paper that she so when the paper this one never gets dirty because it is always in her paper in her carrier bag so the carrier bag is always in her bag so challenges for example another challenge that we encounter is like now she has songs you don't know they are on YouTube already but now to follow to get the subscribers and the viewers is also tricky especially to someone who is young Ajajuli Kana you need maybe to get those people to market your songs they need to be paid ok now you look at it at the first place you have not even settled the studio bills then it is ok it has a lot of challenges but we trust in God ok this is what she tells me whatever God has given to me she has that memory she likes resiting it whatever God has given to me will carry it on and that is how we give ourselves hope we find ourselves moving despite the challenges on the way ok fortune what would you like to be when you grow up? I would like to be a big artist and who can go to places helping those even younger kids who have this talent ok thank you so much what is it that you would like to tell young children like you or maybe even grown people who have a talent that they have not yet discovered I would like to tell you to not lose hope because everything that God has given unto you God will not let it just go surviving he will carry it on ok so you don't lose hope and also to the grown ups there are a lot of challenges you go through like paying for lunch the bills of the house so I would like to tell you guys to always pray remember to pray when you wake up pray when you sleep pray when you eat breakfast lunch or supper pray that's what I would like to tell you ok what can people find your music you can find me in youtube just look for young fortune young fortune young fortune young fortune yes also in facebook ok thank you so much mam your final words to all the parents watching you all today with regards to mentoring in nature in their child's talents thank you very much I can give a dance to why to fight for for hosting us we really feel we are happy we are very happy and try to wish me well for our MP MP Asan Mutunga you are the best ever met you have actually supported us thank you very much I mean go and continue blessing you I can't forget the mentor he has really worked with us he is a stage boy he is also a young upcoming musician he has songs on youtube Adamas Komsafiri he is a very good musician but he is upcoming and I would like to maybe to say to those you know when you are somewhere at a higher level you have someone who has held your hand so please hold the hands of also these upcoming musicians they will wish us at least to uplift them we appreciate to all for those who have our viewers at home God bless you we love you so much stay safe so thank you so much for coming through and we will not have done any justice to Fortun if she comes here and does not perform her song, one of her songs Nilivio but before we even get to the song we will not skip from Fortun and Hamam, don't lose hope and for parents out there continue nurturing usipu na hi fiki e the deputy president William Roto he has a gift for you whoever he gets to him first he is a present for you nobody knows what it is but she has been carrying it around for the longest time so if you ever get a chance to meet her please give her a moment of your time and she has something special for you so up next is young fortune, Nilivio