Moses Serugo
12 January 2007
Tusker Project Fame winner Valerie Kimani is adjusting to her new found fame with ease but would prefer that her fans asked about her wellbeing and not the luxury Mercedes Benz A150 she won last December 17.
Valerie was in town last Christmas on holiday and says she had not received the car yet because the paperwork had not been finalised. She had anticipated a quiet visit but was overwhelmed by her popularity here. She warmed to people walking up to her and requesting for photo-ops and even signed a couple of autographs.
Valerie was never the front-runner in the seven-week singing contest to search for the ultimate East African pop star. She has been asked over and over whether she deserved to win.
"I won because people saw something in me, something they wanted to hear," she replies gently. Many say she owes her win to Alvan who came second but had been billed to win.
Alvan saved Valerie from possible elimination a week to the final and essentially handed her the ultimate prize.
Valerie says she has not caught any negative vibe from Alvan about her snatching the prize from him. "He is very proud that I won. He is the one that always pushed me every time I felt I had reached my limit vocally. He is such a giver," she confirms.
Prior to entering the competition, Valerie was working part time cataloguing furniture during her university break until one of her aunts urged her to give it a shot. "Please, just do it for me," Auntie Rachel's SMS had read at which Valerie promised to go for the auditions. She doubted ever standing a chance after seeing the other hopefuls some of whom had carried guitars and had the look of super stars.
The only singing Valerie had done before the auditions was in the shower and had just one album, Eric Wainaina's Sawa Sawa in her collection. She tapped into her acting experience both on stage and screen to make the lasting impression that saw her enter the Academy on October 29.
Her first night in the Academy was an eye opener. "Everyone else was in competition mood from the start while making friends seemed to be the most important thing for me at the time so I just went around hugging everybody," she reveals. She learnt some unique qualities about the Ugandan and Tanzanian students in the Academy.
"I found the Ugandans very charming. They would let you speak first and would not talk you down. They were perfect gentlemen, the kind that would hold the door for you. I hope they were not putting on an act," she says of Tony Rodman, Melton Cephas and Paul Lwanga, the three Ugandan contestants. Melton was her favourite Ugandan contestant- the one she attempted to save when he was put on probation.
"I felt he was the most genuine of all the contestants in the Academy. He was very together, someone I could tell my fears and not feel he would use that against me," she lauds adding, she was sad to see a person that was overflowing with music leave.
Valerie found the Tanzanians very true to their culture. "Nakaaya told us females have to kneel when greeting which is something we Kenyans do not do. We Kenyans are very headstrong people," she says. She credits her good vocal range and a child-like yearning to learn as the reasons she stayed in the Academy for the whole duration of the competition.
"I told myself from the word go that I am here for the experience, the exposure and excitement. I was a very bland singer who sang my songs in exactly the same way the original singer did," says Valerie who only went on probation just once.
She highlights her week on probation as her worst moment in the Academy. "I felt I had disappointed myself especially when judge Ian Mbugua said I should use the time to go look for that something extra. But I was comforted by my colleagues especially when the teachers complained that I was resisting their advice," she says in retrospect.
Valerie describes the meal times as her best moments in the Academy. "I eat like a fool," says the petite siren. "I think the food goes to my head and my big toe but most importantly that was about the only time we had a breather and talked about anything and everything.
" There were also moments she felt like she wanted to jump off the patio into the free world below because the fact that they could not get out was affecting her serenity. "It was like being in a zoo. There was no TV or radio. We were in limbo and I felt I was going mad at some point," she says. That may explain why she joined a plot to raid the Smirnoff bar in the Academy for which the lot got a reprimand from principal Achieng Abura.
This incident was not as bad as the time the students smuggled in cigarettes and were punished severely. The fact that past winners of similar competitions have been eclipsed by runners-up is not going to worry her.
"I am into this as a career and I promise I will not be a one hit wonder. My goal will be to push sales and increase my fan base," she says self-assuredly. She wants to keep the bond with the other three finalists Alvan, Linda and Cedric strong and the four will partner on a song and hold an East African tour.
Valerie also plans to do a duet with our Paul following comments that their voices would blend quite well.
Although she finds herself inclined to Afro Jazz, Valerie says she will not limit herself to one style. She hopes to make the most of her recording deal with South Africa's Gallo Records on which Lucky Dube and Miriam Makeba are signed. That will leave no time for romance especially since she just got out of what she calls "a messy relationship."
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