There is a new girl in Lagos town, her name is Oyin, she is doing Afrobeats, she is white and she is on a mission. “I am aware that what I am doing here has the potential to break barriers, even beyond musical aspects. I grew up in a rather poor area in Germany, my parents both being from working families with no university background. My mother being the first generation in her family to study, decided to stay at home still to be a housewife and raise her three children. When I decided I wanted to study and work in a predominantly male environment, they encouraged me. I am from a hard working family but ever since I appreciated that I even had that choice. Having a choice doesn’t necessarily mean the way you choose is going to be easy but it allows you to take over the steering wheel of your life and not being forced into a role or corner just to survive. So many times people, especially men, told me: This is impossible, you cannot do this or that. And I always proved them wrong. I want to change the perception of life and its choices for women, regardless of their heritage, background or colour. Be smart, work hard, love what you do and you can achieve anything you want, whether you are a white girl doing Afrobeats or a black girl being the chancellor of Germany.”
Artist Oyin talks about life choices
Oyin’s eyes sparkle while she speaks, her hands keep moving, expressing the deep desire to emphasize on the spoken words. Breaking barriers: Her finance career in stock-listed international companies mainly dominated by men until today was the starting point for that. Having achieved everything she ever dreamed of by the age of only twenty-something, Oyin felt that this wasn’t enough. “I felt the deep urge to create something beyond money or Western conservative career standards; I wanted to inspire and progress a whole generation of women like me. Even though it would mean going back to the deepest grounds of existential fears and starting all over again.”
And she did. Hannah Guendemir left Germany two years ago and moved to Portugal to study the origins of Afromusic in Kuduro and Kizomba in the African dominated suburbs of Lisbon and learning Afro music production from Angolan and Cape Verdian musicians and sound engineers. Oyin lost a lot of money and nerves by learning how things work in the African music industry. After her first successful music release, she moved over to London, UK and quickly connected with the local Afrobeats scene. Wherever she goes, people are flashed by her aura, talent and purpose. Hannah Guendemir is currently moving between Europe and Nigeria, recording with heavyweights of the African music industry. Watch out for her next moves, as she has already started building an exceptional career beyond borders and existing perceptions.