Yeezir, A Star In The Making

Kondjashili ‘Yeezir’ Abel is an up-and-coming musician from Namibia who has been making waves in the music industry with his unique sound and style.

He has steadily been building his brand and name, and in a short time has already cemented himself in the books as a consistent artist who can pull a crowd, hold a note and entertain.

In an interview, he tells us that he has been on a journey of self-discovery since the beginning of his career, and that he has learned a lot about himself and his capabilities.

Yeezir is confident and believes in himself, which he thinks is partially the key to the success he has experienced so far.

He is currently working on his upcoming debut album, revealing that it will be titled ‘21’ as a nod to his current age and what he has experienced since reaching this milestone.

“I feel like this is the age where I really discovered myself. I really found myself and found the sound that I want to follow. Twenty-one is the age where I really matured in many ways, even in my daily life. So I feel like 21 is really special to me,” he says, adding that he has had many eye-opening moments that have taught him how to manoeuvre and keep a positive mindset.

He is keeping mum on further details, though – like the release date – as he says he would love to be able to surprise his fans with quality.

Yeezir recently headlined another successful concert in Namibia, after his first at The Catch last year that drew large numbers. Last weekend he performed unreleased work from the coming project at Temperature Lounge in Windhoek, alongside his smash hit ‘Pretty Vibes’, which catapulted his career and his star power in 2022.

He says this is just the beginning, and that he is keen to encourage other young singers to take charge of the local industry and continue growing it.

But who is this hot new heartthrob on the scene, and – more importantly – why can’t we get enough of him?

According to the performer himself, he is a young man who is trying to change the Namibian music scene and make it globally recognised and respected, as he believes there are many hardworking artists here who deserve better outcomes for their efforts. In this way, Yeezir considers himself an “activist” for the Namibian music industry and wants to push it to new heights and levels worldwide.

“[Yeezir] is also just a youngster trying to live his life, enjoy himself and serve God and what is to come,” he says.

His career trajectory reflects the artist’s positive self-perception. From the time of his debut in 2020, the young star has only gone from strength to strength, with songs like ‘Rolls Royce’ racking up hundreds of thousands of views and fans absolutely losing their minds in his presence.

He tells us that the journey has been “beautiful” because it has afforded him the opportunity to evolve.

“Just with my sound, I learnt a lot about myself in this time period. [I learnt] things I didn’t even know about myself and things I didn’t know I could do. It just taught me how to be myself […] I’m just enjoying myself, making music and living my life,” he says.

One can imagine that being a new artist – especially in the Land of the Brave – is not the easiest thing in the world. It comes with uncertainty, a rollercoaster ride of emotions and the pressure to constantly prove oneself.

Yeezir is no stranger to any of that. He tells us that one should always remain focused on reaching their goals and believing in themselves.

For Yeezir, confidence in himself and in God’s plan for him are what keeps him afloat.

“I know each day what I’m capable of, and the fact that I keep waking up every day just shows that God has me on this earth for a purpose and I’m out here chasing it,” he says.

He tells us that despite not yet being where he wants to be, he feels the success he has seen so far has been in part thanks to those who listen to his music and support him along the way.

There is still a lot that the young vocalist would like to achieve, he tells us, like being more financially secure as a musician. He says it would afford him the opportunity to create more freely as an artist. However, it is not lost on him that everything he’s doing is a work in progress that is teaching him and his team a lot about themselves and each other.

For the future, Yeezir’s plans are solid.

“In the next five years I see myself changing my loved ones’ lives and my friends’ lives and just being there for my people,” he says to us.

– Anne Hambuda is a Cape Town-based poet,
writer and social commentator from Windhoek.
Email her at annehambuda@gmail.com