If Jamali were Destiny’s Child, then Mariechan (pictured) would be Beyoncé, sans the diva tendencies. The beauty has, without question, the most outstanding voice in the group. She is living proof of the statement that dynamite comes in small packages.
If you were always a fan and wondered what she sounded like without the other Jamali members, Liesl and Jacky, then you will be happy to know that Mariechan is going it alone in the music business.
“I have been with Jamali for over 10 years and I just feel it is time to break away from that and give myself a shot at a solo career,” said the petite singer.
A solo career is something she has always wanted, although time and opportunity have been obstacles to reaching her dream.
“I started singing when I was only 3 and I started writing my own songs at 11. At the time I had no idea what would happen later in life, but I knew it would be musical. When I entered Coca-Cola Popstars I did not anticipate that I would end up with the girls as a group. We all didn’t, but it worked and we were grateful to be offered a shot at the gig we all really loved.
“Jamali was a great school for us, but ideas of solo projects lingered in our minds as we grew up. I just feel now is a good time for me to dive in that direction,” she explained.
Before you write off Jamali, Mariechan was quick to point out that the group hadn’t permanently disbanded. It is more like what Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams did before releasing Destiny Fulfilled.
“We are still in each other’s good books so it is not a case of there being bad blood between us. Liesl and Jackie have been releasing music here and there so we are all chasing our own dreams and we support each other,” said Mariechan.
In the spirit of chasing her own dream, the singer has released the first song of her upcoming project. Aptly titled Let Me Live My Life, the song has only been out for a few weeks yet it has been making waves on radio.
“I am happy that only a week after the song was released, Metro FM playlisted it and other stations followed. The song talks about my life from when I was starting out on the harsh streets of Cape Town to where I am now. It is basically an inspiring song that tells you that you can achieve your dreams despite wherever you may be from,” she said.
With this project coming off her independent record label, Mariechan spoke about her creative freedom and how she was happy with the direction the process was taking.
“Jamali wasn’t 100 percent Mariechan. We were under a label that dictated a specific sound to us based on what was selling at the time. Now I have compete control on what I put out there. Like with this single that’s out, I can tell you that it has everything from soul to African tribal music, jazz and bits of reggae. That’s what I want the project to sound like,” she said.
The video to the song will release once all other songs are ready.
“I want the video to reintroduce who Mariechan is so it will be like nothing you have seen before.
“I have done several collaborations in the recent past with local musicians and they have all been pushing the envelope as far as standards are concerned,” she said.
• Let Me Live My Life is available for download on iTunes.