India Arie, step aside! There's a new kid on the block, Neema Ntalel Kirisuah. She's bold, vivacious, eclectic, and has a massive voice to boot; a voice she is unafraid to use. At only 24 years old (2009), this young lady is racing far ahead of her contemporaries, and in the process making an indelible mark on the industry. With her blend of neo-soul, afro-fusion and jazz music, her work has already earned her a number of useful nominations and awards.
 
Neema realizes her blessings and is grateful for them. She comes from a close knit family with both parents and her four younger siblings born-again. While still in primary school, she committed her life to Christ, and is the first to confess to a fairly ordinary growing up, cemented by a strong Christian background that kept her sober.

Falling in love with the arts early on, she got involved in stage arts - drama, poetry, debate, choir and all. She dabbled in fine art, allowing her to win the ‘Best Designer Award” from Vera College later on in her life.
 
In high school she realized that her most superlative gifting was her voice, and began to pursue music more keenly.
Yet even as this eclectic lady developed, turbulence was not far off. Rebellion set her apart as a difficult student, and she often got suspended from her high school, including a suspension in her first term of secondary. With a hearty laugh she recalls getting expelled twice from the same school. Personal problems, coupled with family difficulties left her very insecure. And with her self esteem at an all-time low, she got pushed into becoming rowdy, extreme ad even violent. This left her relationship with her folks battered and bruised, leaving any talk of taking music seriously implicitly forbidden.

As Neema holds on to the Dictaphone, it's hard to reconcile that picture of her with the one I see sitting across me; she appears so much more assured and composed. With a big smile she assures me that was a phase of her life that ‘came to pass', one that seems well and truly over. Dressed in her trademark long skirt (she confesses to never wearing tight pants), easy fitting shoes and authentic African top, you instantly know there's something different about her. This enhanced by the tastefully selected pieces of African jewelry adorning her neck, wrists and fingers. Each day she wears rings on all but one of her fingers (she's saving that for her wedding ring fellas!). Even more uniquely is that she sports two different earring pieces everyday, unless as she says, “it's a bad day”!
 
Before graduating high school, she knew that she wanted to work with famed Blu Zebra studios Producer Ted Josiah. Making it her mission to seek after them, she happened to bump into one of their producers on the streets. Introducing herself to Kevin Wyre, they exchanged contacts, the request being that she contact them upon her completing high school. Months later they hooked up, and she got the opportunity to record her first two radio singles, “Impressions of Love” and “Ashe”. They didn't quite make the impression on the industry that she had hoped, but she proceeded to do two more with producers Richard Kasika (“Rain”), and Willie G (“Nguzo”) – a UN album project.

It was not until she met multiple KORA-award winning producer Ennovator that she begun to gain real prominence. The first single they did together, ‘Jiwe”, opened up more doors than she would have imagined. Not only did it get nominated for an American Music Gospel Award, along with industry luminaries Rufftone, Henrie Mutuku, SK Blue and eventual winner and former producer Richard Kasika, it also placed her and shoulders above her peers when she collected the continental KORA Award for Best Female Artist (East Africa). She's also gone on to receive multiple nominations at the local Groove Awards.

In 2007, Neema teamed up with the Mavuno Church Worship Team, who had by then recorded a bold new release - The Mavuno Worship Project. With them, she was honored to tour many different US cities, ably preparing her for her own solo career.

2009 saw her release her much anticipated debut album, Live & Love. By this time she had connected with producer David "Blackman" Muthami, who had since exited Kijiji Records to develop his own Blackman Entertainment imprint. Together, they released one of the best produced records this region had seen. Straddling between pop, afro-fusion and blues, her sound had now fully matured. The record also featured her very first producer, Kevin "The Lovechild" Wyre, as well as Sarah Mitaru and Chit Chat's Rigga. 

This avid reader of Christian fiction and romance novels (admits to being a hopeless romantic, fellas again!), has influences ranging from mainstream acts Erykah Baduh and Jill Scott to Maxwell and Musiq, as well as gospel neo-soul sensations Lisa McClendon, Canton Jones and Joye B Moore. Her future no doubt bright, she looks forward to recording her debut album and furthering her career. Her long term ambition is to start up her Art School, where artistic ideals can be developed and pursued.

Go for it girl!

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