IT'S ALL A GAME OF EMOTIONS FOR LORRETTA

By Tawanda Ngena

Upcoming afro-pop/hiphop artist Lorretta Mc Bae, is putting final touches to a brand new album titled 'Mixed Emotions' that is expected to hit record stores in early 2017.

The 17 year old describes the 10-track album as an embodiment of some of the emotions that the youth go through and how what is going on around them affects how they perceive today's world.

"As the title to the album might suggest, it is basically a body of work that explores the wide variety of emotions that most teenagers face and hopefully how they can deal with them.

" You will naturally get the sense of it when you go through the album as a whole.

It is mainly about the emotions we go through as a result of situations that life throws our way and the environment that we live in as well", said the artist, whose real name is Nonsikelelo Lorretta Ndebele.

For the 'Mixed Emotions' album, which happens to be her second album, she enlisted the services of producers, Cashlibs, Brian (Star Records) and Steven Matiza among others.

The young musician believes that with every new song she is growing emotionally and mentally as well and that there is always a lesson in everything that happens.

"My first album 'Hearts in Tears' was not as successful as I would have liked and following that disappointment I had to pick myself up, look at ways in which I could grow as a musician and come back much stronger.

"This upcoming project is a direct result of that process and the emotions that I went through because of that experience early on. Nevertheless, I believe that it made me a better musician and this new project will go a long way in proving that to everyone", said Lorretta.

But how does she manage to balance being an afro-pop and hiphop artist at the same time......and which one is her favourite?

" I have found a way of fusing the two genres and though I would like to keep them seperate at times, they always find a way of intertwining.

"Honestly, I cannot choose one or the other because I feel that, not only do they compliment each other but they give me more ways than one in which to express myself. Hiphop allows me to embrace my poetic nature and afro-pop gives me the unique opportunity to touch people's hearts through my voice, lyrics and melodies.

""With hip hop I go through the thinking process because 'maBars' anombodhura sometimes lol and as for afro-pop, I just write what comes from the heart, I write what I feel, so to me, it is all a game of emotions", she said.

The Harare, Waterfalls-based singer/songwriter said that music had always been in her blood and that she did not have to search very far for inspiration.

"My earliest memory is when I was 10 years old, time by which, I used to do renditions of other people 's songs for my family. It was during this time that my sister, Linda told me that I would be a great singer one day and I intend on seeing that goal through!

" The passion for music has been there from the very start and nomatter what I went through I somehow always found comfort in singing", said the 17 year old.

For Lorretta, it seems, not even the sky can be the limit! She is a determined individual someone who knows where they want to go and how to get there. The singer/songwriter also plays the guitar and is taking piano lessons and way from singing, the Media Studies student at a local college is a dancer, budding actress and a tv presenter as well, all of which she persues with the same passion and zeal!