US-BASED Afro-fusion singer, Julian King, feels loved by his kith and kin.
Unlike the proverbial prophet who does not have honour in his homeland, the script is not the same as his.
He feels loved at home as he makes giant strides to conquer the world.
After dominating the end-of-year national radio charts, H-Metro’s Trust Khosa (TK) had a question and answer session with JK to outline his vision.
He was in pole position on Star FM’s Hitlist Top 50 end-of-year chart and also ruled the roost at other radio stations.
TK: Tell us a bit about yourself.
JK: I was born Julian Lennon Kanombirira, a singer, songwriter and inspirational speaker.
I was named after the son of Beatles leader John Lennon, Julian Lennon, who is also an artist.
I graduated with an Honours Degree in Accounting from the Pan African Institution of Africa University.
At the university, I worked with Angolans, Congolese, and Nigerians in music and this enriched my diversity and creativity in the area.
I carry a unique international sound in my music which can stretch from deep devotional worship songs to Afro-pop dance tunes.
Outside of music, I am an accountant and recently completed a Master’s Degree in Business and Music in Dallas, Texas.
I would like to inspire people to be the best version of themselves. This explains my approach to music; diverse yet always carries a positive message grounded in biblical principles.
TK: How do you feel after winning the Star FM Hitlist chart show?
JK: I’m so, so happy. I was number one on Star FM and Power FM, and number three on ZiFM and ZBC TV. It’s a lot and I’m so grateful to God and the fans who have supported me through this journey. It’s humbling, especially with the great talent that is in our country
TK: What are you going to do to maintain touch?
JK: I’m going to continue to be true to myself and make more hits that I believe people will enjoy.
TK: How are you going to celebrate this milestone?
JK: I celebrated by releasing a song called Handiuye. I also have an initiative where I pay school fees for a few students.
TK: Tell us about Handiuye and what inspired it?
JK: I had such a wonderful 2023 and I thought to celebrate by doing a party song. It encourages people to take a break after working hard and to appreciate their results.
TK: What have you learnt from Saintfloew who you collaborated with on the song One By One, which earned you fame?
JK: To take advantage of any hype I get and continuously improve myself.
TK: How do you feel being appreciated by fans in your home country?
JK: It’s a relationship. I love them and serve them and they love me back. It is very humbling and it makes me feel very proud to be a Zimbabwean and represent my country.
TK: What efforts have you made to penetrate the US music market?
JK: It’s my 2024 goal. I had never targeted them before. I wanted to form a strong foundation with my people so that even in my quest, I’ll be doing it with full force and backing.
TK: What are your plans for the first quarter of 2024?
JK: I’m touring Europe and hopefully I close off with a homecoming show in Zimbabwe.
TK: What makes your music unique compared to others?
JK: I fuse Afro beats with a Zimbabwean sound and was raised in church to sing about life, love and faith.
TK: What is your other hidden talent?
JK: I used to be a dancer before I started singing. I’m also good at voice imitations.
TK: What challenges are you facing?
JK: Just trying to grow the fan base and market, but we are making progress.