Singer: Scarlette Swartbooi
Scarlette Swartbooi has always known she has the voice to sing, but she didn’t start taking it seriously until 2022.She explained that her elders convinced her to go into the corporate world for job stability because the Namibian entertainment industry is quite small.
“I worked in corporate for a few years, and as a creative person in this world, it felt very stifling,” she said. “At the risk of sounding dramatic, it felt like my soul was dying in this corporate industry.” This is when she started taking singing seriously.
She joined the Singing Academy for vocal training. “I don’t have any higher education when it comes to singing, since the performing arts aren’t that strict about degrees,” she said. “I would, however, definitely recommend getting formal training.”
Training crucial
At the start of her formal training, she said her voice was "inflexible.”
“I could pick up a tune, but it was very clear that I was unpracticed," she said, underscoring the importance of formal training.
Even just practicing vocal exercises can help a lot, Swartbooi said.
Her biggest obstacles are nerves when performing, vocal strain and the uncertainty of a job in Namibia’s small entertainment industry.
“I cannot imagine a day without singing,” she said. “I just wish that I decided to start doing it seriously sooner.” Swartbooi urged all aspiring singers not to hesitate. “Go for it, don’t wait like I did.”
Other than singing, Swartbooi also has a YouTube channel where she shares singing tips and her practice methods. “Practice is incredibly important. I don’t know how often the biggest singers do vocal exercises, but I can assure you that it happens on a weekly, if not daily, basis."