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| Lady Squanda |
With hits like "Cracker," and "Ndinovhaira," under her belt, this sensational artist is no stranger to the scene.
Breaking boundaries and defying norms, Lady Squanda stands tall among her male counterparts in the male-dominated genre.
Every career has its highs and lows, and Lady Squanda's musical journey is no exception.
However, in an exclusive interview with The Daily Reflections with Winnie, we managed to catch up with the Chitungwiza-based queen to unveil the fascinating chapters of her life.
Thank you so much for agreeing to have a chat with us Lady Squanda.
Can you explain to us how you create your songs? What is your creative process like?
Thank you so much for having me.
Whenever I am alone I hear different sounds of melodies in my mind. The talent comes automatically and I can just start creating a song from what I see around me or what I go through personally.
I also believe that my creativity comes from God because I don’t force words to come out, they just come to me even if I am not a creative space.
Has Lady Squanda undergone a transformative musical evolution throughout the years, or does her artistry still retain the fiery essence that captivated audiences from the start?
The only thing that has changed about me is my body structure, the same way Nicki Minaj looks, everybody knows she was never born with a body like that.
Lady Squanda was never born fat and I never liked being fat for so many reasons. I decided to look different for a change and yes I am still the fire queen, the real dancehall queen. 
What is the worst thing about being a female artist in Zimbabwe? What are some of the challenges you have faced as a musician?
My music is being played yet I do not get any royalties. I have faced injustices, judgments, heartbreaks and most of all I have had family fights over social media issues or rumors and that has made me quiet on all social media platforms for some time.
The internet has emerged as a breeding ground for pernicious rumors that can destroy an artist’s music and public persona. Can you tell us about your weight loss? Is it a choice? Can you clarify whether or not it is associated with drug usage?
Losing weight does not necessarily mean one is on drugs. You can get herbs for weight loss or you can get sick today and lose weight. Don’t forget I created Lady Squanda; it’s me who controls what you see.
I just created a new look for Lady Squanda for you to have something to talk about besides my music. That’s all I did!!
And I would like to explain this for the very last time loud and clear. I do not take drugs. I have never been arrested for drugs and I do not intend to take drugs.
I am only associated with people who do drugs because some of my music talks about drugs.
I use my music as a weapon of awareness, many people listen to my music, so when I say ‘Stop drugs’ this is me trying to help in ensuring a drug-free generation in Zimbabwe.
Trust me I have a lot of testimonies from people who have stopped the abuse of drugs because of my music.
In 2021 I released an album called 'Life is You' ‘Hupenyu ndiwe’, in this album I explained the controversial Lady Squanda and I also raised awareness on body issues. Telling the women out there, that you can do what you want with your body. Squanda is just a voice inside the body.
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| Lady Squanda Perfoming |
You were one of the first female artists to own a studio called After 8. Tell us more about that.
After 8 Studios was established in 2015 when I realized that I had the power as well as the opportunity to help other female musicians in the industry, so that we can have female producers, dancers and fight against suffering.
To us, it was a way of earning a living. I signed Lady Poppa from Mutare, and Daruler from Norton. Apart from these two ladies, I also signed Dj Sparks as my management associate and now After 8 is being operated by only 8 members.
What is the most painful rumor that you have heard about yourself that is not true?
The most painful rumor to me was the ‘Squanda is on drugs’ narrative. It has affected my work. Promoters now think I am difficult to work with, so this makes me get lesser shows and very few endorsements, not forgetting the community which keeps asking me why I am on drugs when I am the one telling them to stop drugs.
I now have security guards everywhere I go, cameras inside my house, fewer friends, fewer movements and I am now limited and it is very painful. Sometimes I receive disturbing messages from people that I do not even know on social media and that is painful to me.
What’s your current playlist?
I am listening to Tanto 'Ndakadyira Faster', Freeman ‘Don’t do it’, Soul Jah Love ‘Makata Ndakwidza', and Dobba Don 'Hondo Yemoyo' that’s my top 5 list.
Throughout your musical journey, did you receive any form of assistance or guidance during the initial stages?
When I started dancehall I was alone, I had no one, no female artist to back me up neither did I have any dancehall chanter to teach me how it is done.
I had no connections to female promoters and I had to look for female DJs on my own so that I could get airplay.
The worst part being the genre that I had chosen made me question if I was going to be accepted by my people and the whole of Africa.
I knew that in Zimbabwe dancehall was considered a genre of people who do drugs and a lot of people did not listen to it back then.
What are you currently working on?
I am looking forward to meeting one of my favorite Zim rappers Tanto, I am thinking of doing a collaboration with them for this year and I also have a lined up collaboration with a Zimdancehall helmet artist called Irraty and it is coming soon.
If you could go back in time what would you tell a 10-year-old Squanda?
Dance according to the tune and when the radio stops don’t stop, create your tune and don’t give up… live up!
What would you like to say to your fans?
I would like to say anditi makandida neniwo ndinokudaiwo, my kids and my fans are the only family that I have.
Looking at the way my social media pages are growing I can feel that I am not alone and together we can take dancehall music to the whole of Africa. Handikwanise kukupindurai mese but zvamunenge muchitaura zvese ndinozvinzwa… I love you guys.