Legendary musician Wahu, who has never been shy of intimating to the public her life growing up, revealed to her fans in Nakuru that she grew up in a leaking house in Parklands area, Nairobi.
The Sweet Love singer told the youth gathered for the Nakuru Youth Week Cultural Festival at the Players Theatre that she came from an extremely humble background.
Leaking house, broken windows
“Often times, people would keep asking where the bathroom was as the whole house leaked from everywhere,” she recalled.
In a July interview with Radio Citizen’s Mambo Mseto, Wahu extensively shared details of growing up in hardship.
“I came from a humble background and when I was little, I could tell lies to protect my image. I attended Hospital Hill Primary School; a learning center which was only a preserve for the rich. While other children were being driven and picked from the facility, I used to walk to and from the institution,” she told Willy Tuva.
Opening up about the structure she lived in, she further divulged: “I used to lie about my residence; I lived with my parents in flats at Parklands. The house was leaking, and the windows were broken, but if you’d ask me, I would tell you I live in a mansion.”
What prompted Wahu to lie?
“It was due to pressure from my peers; all my classmates came from wealthy backgrounds, and so I wanted to fit in. I just had to lie to ‘belong’.”
Back to Nakuru: Wahu told the youth that her love for music started in their bathroom.
“I would sing for hours while taking a shower. Woe unto the person who came after me to shower,” she told the attentive gathering.
“Everything was working against me to fulfill my dreams. Many (people) told me to forget about my dreams because they were not practical. I told God I wanted to be happy. I decided to write down the things I enjoyed doing.”
Wahu famed for the track Running Low decided to keep busy by working as a volunteer for an advertising company for a year.
“I needed the experience which at the end of the day enabled me to start my own advertising company. My love for creative design has seen me open three beauty salons. I have always loved beauty, which has seen me venture into the salon industry.”
The sensational star urged the youth to follow their dreams.
She quoted the late televangelist Myles Munroe saying ‘the richest place in the world was the grave as many hidden talents laid there under-utilised.’
“Do not let anyone tell you you cannot achieve your dreams. The only person coming between you and your dream is you,” she challenged the youth.
“We are our own worst enemies. We give ourselves excuses on why we cannot have or even achieve our dreams,” she concluded her advice.
Wahu is currently riding high on her new hit ‘Nenda’ featuring Moti-Ice.
