ASM: How long has music been a part of yourlife?
Lira: I would say consciously, music has been a part of my life since the age of seven. The reason I say so is because my father moved to the United States about twenty-five years ago because there were really no opportunities for Blacks in South Africa. Over the summer, when everyone gathered in Atlanta in Georgia, it reminded me of life growing up. Music played a huge part in my family gatherings. We would sing songs such as I want to see you Lord by Nina Simone and more. In fact, we actually sang more Soul music than we would our own South African music. I remember how much of a big part that played in my choice of a career because I could see how much music made people forget how oppressed they were. It gave a sense of freedom, a sense of peace and joy. I remember thinking that I wanted to share music that would bring those feelings out, which will enable and assist people in articulating their feelings.

ASM: When did you decide to pursue music and take it to the next level?
Lira: I started writing music when I was sixteen but it was more of a hobby. I was never under the impression that music would become a career – least of all in South Africa. I started pursuing it after two years of working as an accountant and realized the corporate chain was not my thing. This was thirteen years ago. I remember writing out a five year plan of how I would tackle the music scene. It is amazing because one never knows what is in store when taking that leap of faith towards a new path. The next thing was finding myself winning different music awards. When you are young, you dream big; so I went for it. I quit my job and began pursuing my dream. It took a while to get my career off the ground because I did struggle a bit. But as I sit here, I am having the best time of my life. It was the best decision I could have ever made.

ASM: Was it a conscious decision to become a song writer and performer at the same time or did you choose to start as a writer to become part of music because it worked better for you before becoming a performer?
Lira: I think I wanted to be songwriter because I wanted to capture emotion. Being South African, there was so much emotion and a lot of struggles we were going through. Our elders were going through a lot of oppression and did not know how to deal with it. Some people dealt with it by drowning themselves in alcohol; some were aggressive to their own children and other relatives. But in spite of that, there was also a lot of love and hope. These are emotions I wanted to capture in songs and melody because I realized essentially what music is. Music is an expression of what people are feeling which they cannot just simply articulate. I wanted to be able to do that by consciously making music that is positive and uplifting because there was already a lot of negativity going on.

ASM: Most artists convey what is going on around them or what they are connected to – especially when dealing with struggle possibly due to the belief that the product is their environment. You do not do so. We notice you go in the opposite direction. What made it a mantra? Were there influences or was it inborn?
Lira: I was reading a lot. I will also say that I asked a lot of questions growing up. I believe that the more one inquires, the more the answers come forward. I did not understand why the world was the way it was. From my perspective, I could not understand the prevalent inequality. I directed my mind to that point of focus; and as I did so, I randomly picked up on things that affirmed my thinking. I also practiced a lot and eventually, I was able to transform my life. So the things I sing about, is what I have applied to my own life. The context of my next album is about that because that was the backdrop of my upbringing. We had freedom but we did not know how to be free. I look at my own life and I will confidently say that I have defined it for myself. However, I am still learning because there is always something new to learn. I feel creative with my sense of freedom because I am doing exactly what I want with my life. By asking questions and getting the much needed answers, I am inspired to write and in turn, I inspire others. That is my mission…I love that mission.

ASM: Looking back what does Africa or South Africa mean to you as a child in your homeland in contrast to now as a world performer?
Lira: As a South African and African, growing up, I felt the continent was the only place where the people indigenous to the land could not own their land. It plagued my mind. As we are known to be each other’s keeper, I wondered where the humanity was to care for one another other. A woman or man, who is within the same age group of a child’s mother and father, automatically becomes that child’s parent because everyone is connected. That is the way it is in Africa and it is a beautiful thing. However, physically there was limitation, restraint and oppression. What I find now is that there is a sense of freedom, there is independence but we are still trying to find our strength. However, we are stilling learning and trying to operate in this world like the rest of the global community. There is growth to be had and there is still room for it.

ASM: “We are a young democracy and we are accustomed to the image of Africa as a place that expects outside help. We must take stock of our situation becoming autonomous finding our identity and independence.” Based on your travels to different continents, can you expand on your quote on how our generation can recapture our identity?
Lira: There is the core that Africans are not good enough. We need to stop putting ourselves down. We need to love ourselves first before we can move forward in making valid contributions to our immediate community and to Africa as a continent.

ASM: What should we look forward to from you?
Lira: I am excited about working with international producers for my next project. In regards to the writing process, I am working on more songs on my own but I want to add a global voice as well. My experiences are from a South African point of view but as I travel, I meet a lot of people and learn something new. So I am working on something new, different and exciting. It is challenging but I am up for it. I am looking forward to what is to come out of the project.