Louisa April shares her talent with music lovers

Singing is a special talent bestowed by God, and many usually admire those who have the ability to belt out in melodic tune. A songstress who is capturing many hearts, one sweet note at a time, is Louisa April. The singer, songwriter and novice guitarist is fast making her mark as a sought after live performer on the local scene. April is a regular at birthday parties, weddings and baby showers, and is currently gunning to find larger platforms to showcase her craft.

The stunning 22-year old has been singing since she was a child. “I used to sing in the choir at church and school. I have always loved singing and it came naturally to me. It’s in my blood,” she says. April says that she grew up as a bookworm. She eventually picked up writing and gravitated towards poetry. When she was studying in Russia two years ago, the Computer Science graduate was a regular at cafes and restaurants, where she sang for happy crowds.

The reception was positive and this motivated her to sing more. She concedes that she is more of a stage performer. She honed her skills at open mic sessions. “I like the intimacy of connecting with the crowd,” she explains. Although April has a regular 8-5 job, she has not given music a backbench. Should the opportunity to go into music full-time come up she will take it with open arms, she says.

She is however not desperate to be signed to any record label as she is still trying to establish a perfect sound. “I am still refining my sound and enjoying my freedom. I still want to become more comfortable in my identity,” she says. April has performed at the MILO Concert Hall in Russia and will also be part of the Jazz Exchange next month, where she will perform with RnB crooner Tafnaz.

She has a passion for acoustic and a hushed hybrid of alternative folk and soul. Renowned soul artists like Erykah Badu and Amy Winehouse heavily influence her music. The daughter to a Namibian mother and Nigerian father, April spent her formative years in Botswana and Namibia, pursued her tertiary studies in Russia and returned to Botswana. This has given her a culturally rich outlook and personality, which reflects in her music. April intends to release an EP with several tracks before the end of the year.