Pregnant with songs too- Jane Lubale aka Jenty
Her interest in music began ten years ago in Western causing her to join a choir. She was the youngest in l the group. This spilled over to composing songs on things around her. Her friend in the neighbourhood, got interested and requested to tutor her on song writing and rapping. And a duet was formed, narrates Jane Lubale, a songwriter, singer and marketer at the Institute of Advanced Technology (IAT). “We recorded a few songs underground and performed in churches but we went our separate ways two years later. I then met a friend, Sophie, in my neighborhood’s studio. We talked and teamed up to form Royal Power Galz – the daughters of the Most High King. Our first song ‘Funga ZIP’ was Top 3 in a number of radio stations, my stage name being Jenty. Quite popular it became that the phrase ‘Funga Zip’ was adopted by Matatus. Funga Zip sought to have unmarried couples steer off premarital sex until marriage; and the married remaining faithful.
“Unfortunately we barely rose beyond that because we didn’t have a manager or advisor,” she remembers. She says they were new in the industry, thus not knowing how to make the best of the opportunities at hand. “We sang in several concerts but later went our separate ways to pursue our careers.
She later decided to go solo and released a few raps and songs such as ‘Uinuliwe Bwetie’, ‘Nijaze na roho wake’, ‘Ebenezer’, ‘Mageuzi’ among others. She met her husband at her place of work. He had come over for an ICT course. Being the jovial marketer, she had accepted the responsibility of photographing the event. It was at the end of this exercise that he asked for her business card. Their meeting later on, unraveled a like passion – music. They then lost contact for almost one and a half years. When they finally reconnected, they dated for two years and the wedding bells rang in June last year.
Before she knew it she was pregnant – current expectancy. She is planning to put her vocals back into use after giving birth. She is so eager she says, “The sky is the limit.” “I try not to let mood-swings take control; a common one being not wanting to see some people”.
On her pregnancy, she had missed her periods for two weeks and then took a home pregnancy test, which turned out positive. She says they confirmed the results in hospital, and they have since been ecstatic. I am seven months along and since we had planned for it, it is easy. I don’t have cravings but sometimes I wake up early in the morning or in the middle of the night to eat. I have been becoming bigger by the week. Now in my third semester, the challenge is finding clothes that look classy and nice on me. But I am managing,” she sighs.
She says she does most of the house chores. “I only seek help when it comes to washing clothes. ” “I try not to let mood-swings take control; a common one being not wanting to see some people,” she says smiling. “My husband is excited. He makes fun of my big tummy. He plays with our unborn by knocking on my belly” she laughs. Her favourite bit is when the baby kicks. She likes it so much that she massages her tummy when the baby does not. Her scariest thought is the labour pains. She prays the process turns out smooth.
“My EDD is on the 12th. I’m excited because I want to see what my baby looks like,” she chuckles. “I have a baby cot in place and clothes too.” Baby names: “We are Christians and love God. Our baby will be called Christian Gabriel Otieno. Christian means follower of Christ. Gabriel means Champion of God. Otieno is his surname,” says Jane Lubale, aka Jenty.
END: PG 48 /20-21