Who is Joys Njambi?
Proud Kikuyu Woman from the Rift Valley, Mother to Kezia, Singer and lover of music,
What would you do differently from what you do now?
I’d write more music and invest in that craft. Contribute even more in charity. Practice more meditation/wellness.
Who inspires you and why?
Anyone who rises above adversity and difficulty from poverty to single parents to illnesses. I do fall in of those groups and I do find my achievements inspiring when I see how far I have come in my life from Kenya to here today. It’s taken a long time to come to this realisation – I think it’s important to find things that are inspiring in your own life otherwise you’re always comparing your achievements to others you see as more than you are.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
Give voices to the oldest Indigenous and forgotten cultures. Empower women and children more than they are. Make Indigenous language compulsory in schools. Have a cap on prices for food staples. Make good education free and have mandatory programmes for elite schools/universities to provide more scholarship opportunities for the funding they receive.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
Bali – who doesn’t love a Villa with pool, yoga in the actual heat, sunset horse rides and dinner on the beach!
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
Anywhere I can eat foods from different cultures, West African, Persian, Greek – or one of our great wineries on the Peninsula.
What are you currently reading?
I don’t read books much, but I do love a podcast, especially comedy related ones. Life is way too serious.
What are you currently listening to?
Lots of music for my Queens of Soul shows playing at the Paris Cat over the next few months. I tend to listen to more music when I’m gigging or learning songs or exercising. In my leisure time I like silence!
Happiness is?
Pretty much anything I do with my daughter, whether it’s Binge watching Netflix on Sunday mornings, having huge chats about the meaning of life for an 18 year old or being tortured with GenZ pop culture facts. Finding new recipes for Sunday cooking. Getting to say thank you for each day.
What does the future hold for you?
Travel with said daughter, definitely more music. Love. I’d really like to become a Marriage Celebrant, so I’ll be getting my certificate for this.
Joys will present Queens of Soul at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, as part of the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz & Blues, on Saturday 2 November 2024. For more information, visit: www.wangarattajazz.com for details.
Image: Joys Njambi (supplied)