 You know, I just want people at home to know who you are, where you started your journey, you know how has it been for you, has it been easy, now that you're in music, how is it? So, let's start way back in 1999. Way back, way back. Even before. No, no, no, in 1999. 1999, okay. When you became a Skinner, how old were you? How old were you even? I was 24 then. Damn. Yeah, yeah. You're making everybody calculate my age anyway. It's okay, don't worry. Yeah, I know you. Including me. Including me. I knew you were doing mental maths there. You went to meet Huckit. Yeah. That's what I said. It was amazing. Yeah. It was amazing. Yeah. The journey towards being crowned Miss Kenya had started around March and back then all ladies would come from all over the country and we'd all meet in Nairobi. Yeah. So, but you forget everything. Once you're on top there, then you forget, you're just too happy. Yeah. The muscle and the pain and the tears and the time put in. Yeah. But it was really, really. I mean, when you were younger, did you ever sit and think probably, I want to be a model? I want to be like, is that something or is it that you just somebody hunted you down and they're like, who are you? No, no, no. When I was young, I think about eight years. Yeah. I remember admiring and marveling at the Miss World Park then. And I still have that image in my mind, which was so surreal because I experienced it. Yes. And this is the image I had. It was news. Must have been KBC. Yeah. And they were showing the beauties getting off an airplane. Yeah. For a while. And I remember looking at that. So for our swimwear, we went to Malta. I was with 93 other beautiful ladies who we still keep in touch with. Are you serious? We do. And I remember walking down the stairs from the aircraft and I was like, this is the moment that I saw that, that image. So I think it goes, I believe you have to be your own cheerleader. So I had to keep myself going and I had to say I'm a winner. Well, I would have crossed the line if I didn't at that time. I just went with it knowing I have to win, but not in an arrogant manner. Yeah. I mean, I did my work. I did my research. I did everything. But I've always cheered myself. Which is really good. I mean, having such a title, like it's a bit, it's a Yanninikazi, it's not just something that you just win and moving on, you know, you move on with your life. Like what has it been for you, like in terms of probably charity work and maybe some of the other work that you got just because you were crowned Miss Kenya? Yeah. Like how was it? How was the journey after getting crowned? So when I came back from London and I had to pen down what do I want to do with a crown because you have to give back to society, you know. And I wanted to just lighten and lighten people about children. I've always been my passion. I love kids. I love you. Me too. Me too. I love kids. I love kids. Yeah. Me too. I left out. So it was about... Don't worry. Don't worry about that. Yeah. I love kids. So I wanted to bring in the society so that we can help our children. So I visited a few children homes, you know. There was Numbani, which is well known. And at that time we really were struggling with issues because of stigma, HIV, and yes, and I was working with Father Dagostino and it was really painful because some schools do want to take these amazing children. So I was also learning, you know, from it. And I was like, as a society, we have a long way to go. At least now if you look now, people are not as stigmatized. And then other things like COVID come up. No. Yeah. We've got something else to... Okay. Guys, if you're joining us right now, we are talking to Lady Esther, the 1999 Miss Kenya. And currently she's just... Is it just current or you've just started a long time ago, music? Because we've just been hearing about you everywhere. Professionally current. Yeah. Now. I'll actually tell me about your journey. Yeah. About my musical journey. Yes. My father, he's so rest in peace, loved music. I think it's my introduction to music. So we'd drive around together and I'd be belting out the songs that he likes. So I think those Jim Reeves, Dolly Parton, Diana Rose, and I would sing, sing, sing. So here's my first introduction into music. But then now, going along, I realized everywhere there's a beat I have to be there. So is it Sunday school? I was singing in church. All day I had to be in the choir. I cannot sit back. If I'm in church, I have to be up there. I look for the choir master to enroll me, you know, and I'd be doing auditions. So music is in me. And I enjoyed myself for the last one hour, waiting, I could hear the music. So it is in me. I had not pursued it professionally. Yes. So this is the time now that I guess it's the time for me, yes. You know, like, I'm really trying to get to know you and I'm sure I'm trying to represent Christ and Paul. Yes. Like, have you always been in Kenya, like? Yes. So what we do... I love Kenya so much. If I travel, I come back. We still come back. Yes. What made you suddenly, like, not suddenly, really decide to take it professionally, like, you know what, I'm taking this journey now. Nothing is stopping me. I'm going when some of us right now, we are just like, ah, me I'm done. Is it gang atone? Is it Afrobeat? Is it whatever? The music right now is just, everybody is just going for it. It is going for it. Yeah. Like, what made you, like, choose this 2020, which is... I know. Yeah. I don't really have an answer to that, but let me just say I met a very good producer and could go on with it. I had, I had met Bruce of Yambo before. I had met Fiverl, Fiverl, yeah, back then, and, but nobody then could guide me. So I remember meeting my producer and he was like, okay, we want to hear your compositions. And at first I was like, no, I only sing. I cannot compose. Yeah. But when he started doing his magic, then I realized, wait a minute, as a song flowed that word, I've got words. I loved poetry. So I've got words that can come into this as well. So that helped me a lot. And also I had met Niviri, I have to say that. Yes. She heard my voice. She was like, hey, you can go about this. Yeah. I think you should absolutely go for it. I know DJ Milton is going to be playing one of your song right about now. But, yes, another thing that has been asking me, and I'm just looking at my Twitter. Are you on Twitter by there? I am. Yeah. Twitter is just crazy. And I know if I don't answer these guys what they're asking, they will come for my head and they will just throw me. So guys want to know, are you dating or not? Because you're so pretty. But that is coming behind my face. So don't go anywhere. Milton, what do you have for us? Unfortunately, I don't know anything about this. But I'm going to sort it in the process. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, so guys are getting lucky right now because they need to know if she's dating after we play the song. Yeah, including me. Okay. Okay, even me and my family and my friends. They don't want to know. Everybody. So, this is really, okay. Before that. Okay, are you dating or not? Before I compliment you. I am not dating. Milton, did you hear that? I said she's not dating. Opportunity. Look at the guys. Absolutely. Yeah, you've maintained yourself so well. Like your skin is amazing. Her lipstick is nice. I'm sure you guys can see me. Thank you. But your lipstick is really nice. Okay. Like you've really maintained your body, your skin. Like before we get to know what regime you use. With this Kenya, the stress here. Yeah. You don't have money tomorrow. You don't. Yes. You tried these projected fields and there is. How do you even manage to keep yourself like this? In the beauty world, you get into this, you're programmed. Yeah. It's like what you can be told and told and told until it's in your subconscious. Yeah. But I remember even being in school. Yeah. I would, I mean, everybody can easily like grow a bit bigger. Yeah. I would always be aware that now my clothes are not fitting and I would cut down. Okay. Yes. So I was always aware, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Yeah. So it's something that's in my subconscious. Even look at the way you sit it versus the way I'm sitting. And you're just like, she's straight. Oh, good. Those are some of the others. We're just used, yes. Like, do you still apply them right now? I do. Okay. I do. I went for modeling classes back in, I guess, I think middle nineties. Yeah. And the first thing was don't slouch. And our teacher. Oh my God, I keep doing that. And the teacher, I mean, she was like, I don't care if you're driving or not driving. If you're at the bus stop, waiting for her motor to, for a bus, you'd better be all upright. And you know, now you're going to class with so young, so you could be seeing all these models at the bus stop like this, you know, until it becomes a good habit. I know. I think that's something I need to try doing, Milton. Next time when you have this thing, you try, this way, both my back. I need to be sitting straight like she's sitting. I think that's very, like I look upright, like I look like an upright chick. And if you're good, isn't it? You know. I'm trying to hold everything. I know. Well, you saw me in a few. We've met and you haven't gotten it. You haven't sorted out your decks. We can still play it from the gallery. However, how many, like how many songs have you done so far? And are you planning to release an album? Another one. Now, Light is the first that I've released out before I had done one called Amani. But I will be releasing it later. Amani I did in nine, 2014. But I didn't go far with it. I think I didn't put the effort today. I was doing it like a hobby. Maybe I can do this. Maybe I can record. How do I sound in studio? So that will come later. I have about five other songs that will come up. But I have Light. And I want to concentrate on Light and see how far it goes. I get comments. But yeah. But how's the feedback though? How are people taking it? The feedback is very good. It's very good. But I always get, are you going to do a Swahili song? So now that's when I think I have to bring back Amani. What's your genre though? R&B, inspirational soul. That's what I grew up listening and loved. So if you listen to Light, it's in that context. So I think you're not going to hear me rap. I'll get a rap. You're just going to rap very soon. That's how you artists are like. You just add something in the next thing. You're like, okay, this kind of sounds bumpy. Like this, like this. And then you start rapping. I'll shock myself. Let me just say that. Maybe I'll get a rapper to come in and do some rapping. Are the artists that you're looking maybe collaborating with? We've got so much talent. So much talent here. And the more I research and like collaborations are good. I'll also get to learn from other artists. And I don't know. I was just thinking. I think calligraphy is very good. I love Eri Koenena songs. He sang back then and I attended a lot of his shows. We have Revani in Tanzania. So it's not that there are not many other artists. I think once we get down to it, it's an open book. So Milton, I don't know if you're ready. No. But it's okay. I'm sure. I really want guys to see what we're talking about. And when we talk about, you know, you getting into music and things like that. I don't know. Of course, if I ask you what you think about the new music trend in Kenya. Because I mean, we've been struggling for a long time. Now trying to get the sound, our sound. And right now it seems like we're being identified with the Gengatun. If you talk about Gengatun. If you listen. Yeah. If you talk about Gengatun, everybody's just like, okay, that's Kenyan. And that's why it's maybe somebody like alternate sounds would do an entire set of Gengatun because they feel like that's representing Kenyan. What do you feel? What's your feeling about Gengatun? I feel and you can't blame artists because an artist may start and really they don't know what genre they'll get into. But they also want to be successful. If you listen to our market right now, everybody wants to sound like Damond. Why? Because Damond has paved the way and we are used to those tones. You know, he's really brought Tanzania out to the limelight. So I think it's just for a few artists to try and go different. Try and go against the grain. You have to dare and then see what comes out of it. It's just like, I don't know what it is with Kenya. Maybe we're not just supposed to have our own way because even clothing. Look, most of the African countries will have their style of... The look. Look. But Kenya, we borrow from... And we love people so much. So much other than us, you know? I remember Afrobeat began a long time ago. I think, let's say a couple of years back. You know, when Kina Whisky, Davido, and Steve Keats. And then I was like, guys, that sounds like what we call Chakacha. You know? Uh-huh. Uh-huh. You know Kina Davido? It's just like, that is our sound. But these guys just took it on it and ran away with it. And we were left just like, okay, we have to appreciate it. We have to appreciate it. But now we have a sound that we are being identified with. And now maybe the thing is, do we all go that direction? Or do we just have some people now settling in? Like, would you do a gengata? If I was able to tell, I make it to my voice and my kind of singing, why not? So as long as it's not stuck into a certain way of doing it, then we can fashion make it, try and make it different. You wanted to ask, would I collaborate? I would as long as the lyrics are child-friendly. I would. I like that. I like that. Because I mean, that's maybe one of the biggest challenges when it comes to, probably artists to do sort of different genres. Yes. It's just like, okay, our video has to be clean. Yes. It has to be quite clean. And it has, the lyrics have to be quite friendly. Yes. Now I think we are struggling in the same case. We are discussing about Erika Mondi and his comedy. Yes. I don't know. I don't know. It's nudity, like nudity cells. Unfortunately, nudity cells. I think in the same line, I'll put nudity and infamous things that cell is like, I'd like to speak about Shen. So we'll talk Shen on top of our proper English and proper Swahili. So now for young people who are taking up Shen, they do not know any English, any proper Swahili. Where will it take you? And you see now, when it comes to nudity then, the government, this is Ministry of Broadcasting, Ministry of, yes? Yes. You're supposed to censor. Because then it's so hard for parents. You know, you have to save, you have to pre-save programs for your kids. Why? The country can now bring up. And it's okay. It can be censored. But if you're over 18 or over, if it's too explicit, if you're over 24, you can log on to it. But save it from the rest of humanity who don't want to keep on, you know, forwarding and stop paying. And you know, let me tell you what is shocking. I don't know if you've seen this before. We play your song. Yes. Yanni, even in between, like you, let's say you're watching a Christian song. Yes. I don't even notice maybe on YouTube and stuff. Yeah. They take a break and they play. They can advertise that someone's song on what you're listening to. Like an art. Oh, like an art. I am telling you I went through that. My baby is watching some nice song. Yes, baby shark. Boom katikati. Boom katikati. A song. I'm like... Of somebody talking and... I'm like, no, no, no, no, no. What just happened? You know, so I don't know in terms of control how that is going to be done. But we are hoping when Ezekiel Mouto is done with Eric, we can check on that. Because that is really messed up. They need to. Our younger people, teenagers between 14 and 18 are getting lost. That's where you see they can be lured. Yes. By somebody to say they're going modeling. They don't even know. I know. They don't have values themselves. I know. They don't know what they want to uphold. So anybody who just comes with a lollipop. Yeah. You just... On game. Yeah. And then you see, if for example the way you say an explicit show, as long as it has 20,000 views, then a young person getting on and is desperate. Yeah. What will they do? Pose naked. Because that translates to more views. More followers and stuff. Yes, yes. Any of you guys, I think I could talk to you over and over. Yandee, we could go on and chat maybe the next thing. Give us some wine, you know. But thank you so much for coming into the studio. I don't know if people want to follow you, listen to your music before Nelson plays you. So what are your social media handles and stuff? Just look for Lady Esther. L-A-Y-D-I Esther. So I am on YouTube as Lady Esther Vivo. Instagram, Lady Esther. Twitter, Lady Esther. Facebook, Lady Esther. All of them. So Lady Esther, L-A-Y-D-I. If they look for you, they will definitely find you. Are you doing live, live streaming and stuff? Because now that... With these lockdown guys are doing a lot of lives. A lot of lives. I was actually looking for to live performances. Oh yeah. That's what I think my strength is going to be. I mean, having sung in church and yes. I can't wait. I can't wait. Live performances. But I'm thinking of also doing live streams. I'll see. I'm warming up so there's a bit by bit. Because nowadays we're just chilling on the phone and I just like to see you live and doing your thing. Yes. I'd like you to introduce your song for people to watch it. And maybe just sing just a little bit of it as Nelson takes it over, right? But thank you so much for coming to the studio. We really appreciate it. Thank you for having me. And when you release the next song, you just come back. More than half the time. Well, I will. All right. So the song coming up is called Light. And Light basically in this era that we're living in, COVID, everybody is so disheartened. But you can be a light to somebody else. We can all shine bright. We don't have to look at the gloom. So that is what Light is about. It's about people coming together, people encouraging each other. People just being positive. Let me just say, yeah, positivity. Let's be positive. Maybe, I don't know. Just sing a little bit of it. Actually, when I was like 20 years, someone just asked, what's the social media handle? Actually, you're receiving too much love here on Twitter. Thank you. You can ask me one time and I'll say, ma, very beautiful, very beautiful voice. Thank you. So you're receiving so, so, so much love on many other. Thank you. So let's talk about some, introduce it. Yeah, even your idea of voice. My voice. Okay, maybe I can do the chorus. Yeah.