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When I first saw her picture a couple of months ago at musicuganda.com I was amazed at her fresh natural beauty that is typical of so many Rwandese.
UGPulse Promo
Her relative ease with the camera in her poses and her angel-like voice in her re-done version of Nyina Womuntu showed years of experience, yet at 21 she was being announced as new on the scene. And so I reached out to Julie to see if we could get something done on her at UGPulse. Sandra was very receptive to the idea.
Once Sandra was in on it, I began to see if I could find out anymore about this beauty with a voice. This was when I found out why this beauty seemed to already be experienced. She has been in the making for years now. And her story was so interesting that I felt we had to start from the begining.
Karigirwa Sandra aka Sandra K was born in Rwanda where, upon her loss of both parents, she found herself under the guardianship of her aunt. This was where Frank Katoola of Tender Talents in Kasangati, Uganda, found her and brought her back with him to Uganda.
Gordon Nicol met her at Tender Talents in Kasangati in 2000 while visiting the school to record songs of Children of Uganda. Below he writes a poem about their first meeting:
Sandra from Rwanda the Orphan who adopted me.
With a notebook in hand, she appeared at my side
Shading my console screen from the glare.
She stood there so resolute with a smile on her face
Just happy to assist me and be there.
She helped serve me lunch with Eroni Berunji
Two lovelier girls you couldn't find.
And when, at the end of my stay, I had my notebook signed,
She wrote, "Ah mon ami. Je t'aime tres beaucoup. Tu es mon pere. Je suis contente."
You see in Rwanda they speak French
Ah my friend. I love you very much. You are my father. I am happy.
I had no idea that Sandra had felt this way,
And was ill-prepared for such an expression of pure love.
At a loss for words, my only reply was "moi aussi" me also.
Her lovely face beamed with delight
and her gaze followed me as I left, until I was out of sight.
I wrote her and she wrote me back
She opened her heart to me completely.
Words so touching and so blatantly candid, so sweet, so pure
For in that country called Uganda, there's much one has to endure.
And I feel that, it's in that adversity that humans find a propensity for
bearing their very soul to one who's been kind.
I know that with Sandra, the orphan who adopted me,
a more beautiful soul I'll never find.
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Gordon liked her voice so much that he began recording her singing and dancing. On his second visit in 2002, he recorded Sandra singing Hakuna, Malaika, Asanti Baba and some others.
In this first part of the interview we ask Sandra about her earlier life and music.
Sandra K.
Peter: Sandra, I thought I was the only one hooked by your beauty and soft, soothing, fresh voice. But reading up on you to do this interview, it looks like you use that magic wand and cast your spell on everyone who meets you. Not only now at a young age of 21, but since you where first discovered in Rwanda at 15. Are you as oblivious to your talent as you seem? Where does this voice come from?
Sandra:
Well I started singing when I was still young as a baby girl but this became a reality in 1999 when I came to Uganda and joined Daughters of Charity. To come from Rwanda, I was discovered as a good younger Kinyaranda dancer that could possibly be a good teacher to Ugandans dancers.
It is not a blind talent from nowhere, most of my relatives are musicians and they are dancers. Although some people still wonder and get surprised when they hear me singing.
Sandra K dancing.
Speaking of your relatives... I understand that you are an orphan. What do you know about your parents and how did you lose them? Was it related to the Rwandese genocide of the 1990s?
Yes I am an orphan. I lost my parents in 1994 during the genocide that happened in Rwanda. May parents were Tustis.
After I lost them, I had to try life without them with my six younger brothers and two big brothers until I met my Auntie. We worked together as one lonely family and made it. We got assistance from most of our relatives and friends.
It was at the age of 15 that Frank Katoola discovered you. Who was he? Where and how did he discover you?
Mr. Katoora, was a good Ugandan performer who led a Ugandan group called Daughter's of Charity. However, they needed someone to teach kinyarwanda dance and I was chosen among others. This was during 1999 FESPADE Music where they had invited Mr. Katoora's group.
Do you still communicate with him?
Well, I still communicate to him. He is the Director of his School TENDER TALENT MAGNET SCHOOL.
Sandra K.
Tell us about Tender Talents Magnet School in Kasangati.
Tender Talents was Mr. katoora's school where I completed my S.4. Yes, it is a boarding school. I was staying alone at school but then after schooling, I would go to Mr. Katoora's home.
Is that you in the lead in this video?
Sandra K: Click to Play.
Yes its me.
As beautiful as this natural voice surrounded by African drums sounds, it seems to be soulful from pain in this video clip. What was going on in your mind at this time? Where you possibly feeling alone after first losing your parents and then being given away by your aunt?
Not as painful as one would think but deep feeling about that particular song I was singing. It was about mother's love. Although I don't have a mother still I know mothers are so loving. I am not feeling lonely as such because I have people like Gordon, Katoora, and my auntie who care about me so much. But before I met these people I felt so lonely. I never wanted to leave my auntie for she was so dear to me.
And that wave thing you do with your arms… looks like this will become a trademark of sorts for you. I seem to see elements of this whenever I have seen video clips of you dancing… tell us about this.
Well, this is our cultural dance which has made me become who I am now. And so I feel so proud to dance it, for the hundreds of people.
And so in 2000 you meet Gordon Nicol at Tender Talents who becomes your 'father'... tell us more about this and what was Gordon's role at the school.
When I met Gordon Nicol, he had come to record music for Daughters of Charity and that was to take place in Tender Talent. So he became so much like a father to me, thus becoming my adopted father.
In December 2004 you recorded with Peace African Youth Ensemble on album Mama Africa.
Peace African Youth Ensemble.
Peace African Ensemble was a small group which was composed of us young musicians who had grown their talents at Tender Talents. I learnt that music can become very important and special when you love what you are doing and also working together regardless of small surrounding problems.
You have performed in the US of A, Germany, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda.
Well, I traveled in these countries with the help of Mr. Katoora who used to get us involved in his dancing troupe.
In Part 2 we will talk about Sandra K's new 2006 album "Nyina Wumuntu".
Click here for Part II
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