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SNAPPY 7: Yvonne Darcq – A fan once wrote I looked like something from Koinange Street


Singer Yvonne Darcq is not your typical musician, more like a combustive combination of a lot of hidden talents. Singing happens just happens to be one of them.

Darcq is elegant, tall, sassy and classy. She spoke to Nairobi News about her music, being a single-mum mother and her multicultural background.

1. Who is Yvonne Darcq? – Yvonne Darcq is a Kenyan, East African, African female artist who is using the cultural background and marrying it with the new sound, the new afro, jazz, pop, whatever you want to call it.

Yvonne is a funny bubbly, down to earth, very seductive, a fiery person who just loves life and wants to accomplish the unexpected. I was born in South Sudan but raised between Nairobi and Nakuru were I went to school in both counties.

2. How has your musical journey been like? – I recorded my first single when I was 13 years old at Greensteds International School in Nakuru.

I consider myself extremely lucky because I have had all sorts of opportunity during the length of my career both locally and internationally.

For the longest time I could say I was doing R&B, jazz and pop while I was still discovering myself. I can say I was underground until about 2012. I just kept understanding the industry, understanding the works, all sorts of identification within myself and the industry.

Basically I was learning both worlds adapting to who I am, adapting to the local scene, the African sound because this is where I live, this is where I’m based, this is where I chose to create my career and is where I’m from.

PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU
PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU

3. How was the experience collaborating with Kristoff and other artists in ‘Eish’? – ‘Eish’ was amazing, it was a lot of fun, it was unexpected we didn’t even know we were all being put in the song. I was called to the studio and told to drop a line. That was it. I didn’t even know what the project was all about and then later it became a big anthem. The video was so much fun and it was great working with all the artists.

4. Do you have any hidden talents? – I love to dance. I used to be a choreographer sometime back and I also love to design. A lot of the pieces that I wear are co-designed by myself and other designers. I’m also an amazing cook, I love to cook. I love to be in the kitchen.

As a child I used to be a professional horse rider, ballerina as well and also modern dancer. There are so many elements about myself, I am very adventurous and I love climbing trees and very sporty as well. I just love to live life to its fullest.

5. What is the worst thing that you have ever read about yourself in the media? – Someone ones wrote that I looked like something on Koinange Street. I found it hilarious because at the end of the day negativity is an obsession of love, because if I didn’t bother you, you wouldn’t waste your time talking about me. To me that is envy. If you were not envious of me, if you didn’t feel a certain way of a motivation towards me and you can’t take it in a positive light, you decide to be negative about it.

6. What is your most embarrassing moment? – The one that I can remember is when I was judging a talent contest and I went on stage to perform and I was wearing this extremely tight skirt and at some point it reaped. Luckily no one saw it and my manager came and wrapped me with my jacket and that was it.

7. Five things in your bucket list. Taking my kids to Disneyland and to the Nickelodeon Awards, that’s one thing I know they have been on my case about. Representing Kenya, East Africa and Africa internationally on the biggest stage ever. Taking out my businesses that I’m working on. I’m coming out with a boot line. Travelling the world and experiencing the world and giving the world our talents from Kenya, East Africa and Africa.