Kenyan criticised by mass killer is full of praise for Norwegians
- Ника Давыдова
- 27 июл. 2011 г.
- 3 мин. чтения
Photo/FILE Kenyan rapper Stella Mwangi, who was chided by confessed mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik, calling her an asylum seeker
A Kenyan criticised by the man at the centre of Sunday’s Norway mass murders is still stunned.
Rapper Stella Mwangi, who was chided by confessed mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik, calling her an asylum seeker says she is sickened by his comments and actions that have left the world in shock.
Breivik, the Norwegian, killed at least 76 people in an Oslo bombing and youth Labour Party shooting spree on an island.
He went ranting in his diary in May about the Kenyan rapper popularly known as STL, writing: “My country has a (censored), politically correct contribution.
“An asylum seeker from Kenya, performing a bongo song — very representative of Europe and my country. I hope Germany wins.”
Breivik’s diary
Mwangi, who moved to Norway with her parents as a child says she learnt about Breivik’s diary entry through the BBC when they called her for an interview.
“I had not heard or read about it, and when they asked me, I was so shocked, didn’t know what to say,” she said.
“I was a bit scared at first, but I decided not to think about it too much because people will always have an opinion about what I do. But I am just sickened by the fact that he wrote about me on his diary.”
She participated and emerged the winner in the Norwegian national selection Melodi Grand Prix 2011 to represent Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest.
On May 10, she represented Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Haba Haba but failed to qualify for the Eurovision final.
“As an artiste, I live to make songs and I can’t make songs for everybody and I’m cool with that because at the end of the day, I’ve many more who appreciate me.”
The Haba Haba singer who has been in Norway since she was five years old says Breivik’s remarks will not change anything as she loves Norway and its people.
“I love Norway, the people are really nice and they are very good at welcoming others and not judging them by colour, age, religion or any background,” says Mwangi.
“The fact that I won the Norwegian song contest with a Swahili song shows how advanced they are, and they appreciate that I’m a child of both worlds.
“Everybody has been affected by the tragedy in one way or another. A friend of mine lost his best friend in the shooting.”
Her music has seen her become one of the most popular artistes in Kenya with songs like Biashara, Happy and Dreamer proving popular in Kenyan radio and dance scene.
At the age of 11 she started rapping and entered the Norwegian hip-hop scene as part of an African youth group called The Rise.
They performed for former South African president Nelson Mandela in 2005 during an Aids eradication campaign.
According to her website, her songs have been featured on popular American TV shows and movies like American Pie, Ghost Whisperer, CSI:New York, CSI:Las Vegas, Americas Next Top Model, Scrubs and Melrose Place.
Mwangi says that her life is not in danger, but adds that those are some of the challenges she faces as an international star. She is strong and takes strength from her family, friends and fans, she says.
“I have grown to trust myself, the people around me and learnt how to please my fans. I do get hurt when people say terrible things about me online and I do not read comments as they may ruin my day and year or even me.”
As for Kenya, she says this is the country she wants to retire to. “I really love Kenya and that is where I will grow old, when I have achieved what I want.”
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