Nubia shines in reggae

Twenty-nine-year-old Empress Pa-yaka, real name Nubia Romarn, has emerged in local reggae circles to prove to the world that  the genre is not for just men.

Nubia says she looked up to her mother, Helen Phiri, who was a musician back in the days, for inspiration.

The star’s recent passionate performance at Blantyre Youth Centre was an indication that she was born in a family that takes music seriously.

She says: “It is hard to take reggae [seriously] here in Malawi, but I see a bright future for me in this genre.”

The multi-talented Nubia sees art beyond music as she is also into fashion and design, a skill she discovered way back in 2007. So far, she has sold a number of designs in Zimbabwe.

“I want to reach a wide range of people not just in Africa, but beyond the continent and show the world what Africa is all about,” she says.

The artist sees Jamaican star, Etana, and South Africa’s Zahara as her role models.

Nubia is currently working on an album titled One Africa which is set to be released in December this year.

One Africa is packed with songs that preach against racism and propagates girls’ empowerment.