We recently connected with EduArdo Omondi and have shared our conversation below.
EduArdo, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I attended a Turkish International high-school in Nairobi, Kenya that would facilitate an annual-all expense paid trip to Turkey to compete in the Turkish Language Olympiad. I immediately joined at the thought of going to Europe for free. What I did not expect is that the journey to getting there, would make me fall in love with not only music but the experience that came with performing before an audience. I had to compete in dance and song, in the Turkish language and perform in-front of an audience that would vote for the winner. I got second place and found myself on a plane to Turkey. When we arrived in Turkey, nothing could have prepared me for the reception we got. There was paparazzi and police escorts waiting at the airport to escort us to our hotel, we got into a huge blacked-out tour bus that we were to use to tour the country. We hit 13 different cities playing at sold out stadiums and would get paid in cash and gifts from the city after every show. I was 13 years old, with $2000 in hand. I could care less about the money and gifts that came with the shows, what I couldn’t get enough of was the feeling of hearing people screaming and cheering while we performed; the thrill, the excitement and joy that was emitted by the audience trying to cross the barricades to steal a moment with us. The music did that, the dance did that, I was simply fortunate enough to be a vessel to deliver that feeling through the art. My path was chosen for me through this life changing experience.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is EduArdo Omondi. I am a Singer/Songwriter and Model. My professional creative journey started in Nairobi,Kenya after took a one-year artist development program, thereafter I did an extended two-year diploma in Music Business and Production. I then attended Berklee College of Music studying Professional Music concentrating in Songwriting, Performance and Music Business. All this to further my career as a performing and recording artist. I write and top-line songs for other songwriters and producers. As a Kenyan Artist I provide a unique approach to the songs I write drawing from my very rhythmic and traditional Kenyan and East-African music background. I aim to merge these genres for an ever-expanding audience hungry for a new sound.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I would say the most rewarding aspect would be the ability to touch someones’ life through the art that I create. Be it joy, love, ease; when my music causes a feeling to the listener that warms their hearts and I get to see it or feel it by witnessing their reactions while I’m performing, I feel accomplished. There is nothing more rewarding than this for me. Understanding what it took for me to be in a space where I could share my art and spread love through my music, free from prejudice and stigma, its so important to me to be able to have a positive impact in peoples’ lives through not only my art but my existence.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I have a handful of stories I can share here haha! When I got accepted to Berklee College of Music, I ran to my parents and gave them the good news. I had already seen the cost of tuition just to attend and knew full well that we would not be able to afford it. My parents instructed me to defer for a semester, giving them time to come up with tuition. I obliged. I too went on a tuition hunt trying to figure out how to host a fundraiser. I successfully hosted a fundraiser with Kenya’s biggest musical acts performing hoping to pull a huge crowd. I was able to raise $3000 dollars and was very proud of myself. A week to enrollment, my mother tells me they were unfortunately unable to secure the funds and that I would unfortunately not be able to attend without a miracle. A miracle indeed happened, my mother sent a message curated by me asking for support to family and friends on Monday. By Wednesday we had $15,000, by Thursday I had a flight and by Friday I was on my way to Boston. Six years later I am two semesters from graduating with a degree from Berklee College of Music. through all the hurdles and financial barriers dictating my movement we still here doing what we love and more. Trust the Process. come rain, come shine, you got this.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eduardoomondi/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Officialeduardoomondi
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/edu4rdo_OmOndi?t=GWogSZCribHqcdoj4kQERQ&s=09
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_-dKlspRWh9HE2zsUCkH1g
- Other: https://linktr.ee/Eduardoomondi
Image Credits
John K Gittens Mihail Derichenko Gordon Lameyer Luiz Alonso