With over +10 years experience in the music industry Oteya, has had an interesting journey. Dating back to being part of a popular group (Gal Level) to becoming a solo artist and now to traveling the world with her music and meeting so many talented artists.
Oteya, shares how she feels lucky to still be with Ogopa Butterfly, her brand and what it means to her and more:
Oteya the Brand
It’s interesting to recognize that I have been with Ogopa Butterfly for my entire career now! They have really helped to propel me to levels I never would have even thought would be possible.
My brand and image is very, very important to me. I believe that a woman needs to be confident and comfortable in her own skin…and, I’m lucky because I have an image consultant that is also my sister.
For those who have been following Oteya’s career, she has emerged as a totally different woman from Daphne from Gal Level. And that transition has really been consistent with her growth as a woman and an artist. Gal Level, was just this young girl having fun and discovering herself, Oteya explains, and over the years she evolved and has grown into a confident and a fully-embodied woman. She is a mom, a wife and a career-woman, that’s what she likes to portray in her music and in her image. Oteya is fierce and strong, and that goes hand in hand with the woman I feel that I am right now, she adds.
Having a PR team such as Alvaro Media Group. How important is that in an industry like this?
It is hugely important to have a PR team that is competent and believes in your brand and your vision. Alvaro Media has been very involved in keeping my brand relevant to clients in the media space. In combination with my Artist Management Team (Thomas Litula Consultancy), they’ve kept my brand tightly focused and relevant while ensuring that my story and my work are conveyed to the right audiences.
Equality and sisterhood in Music
I think as a woman in the industry here or anywhere else, you have to work especially hard for opportunities and to be taken seriously.
From personal experience, Oteya thinks men support each other before anyone else. And what makes it worse is that women often support men above each other without even recognizing that they are doing so. By behaving this way, women are making it harder for the rest of the other women to find success. Every once in a while, you encounter women who are supportive of your right from the beginning, but more often, there is this unfortunate initial attitude of competition or suspicion.
It is very hard to get to a point where you feel embraced, accepted and loved by your sisters. It’s as if you have to work extra hard to earn the trust of your fellow women and to get to that point where she will look at you and say, “Yeah, that one. She’s my girl!” I don’t think it’s non-achievable…I just think it can take a lot of work.
The male-dominated culture of the entertainment industry compounds the issue, but her focus isn’t really on impressing men as much anymore. She loves all her fans, but it is more often the love, trust, and acceptance of her sisters that she seeks.
Oteya feels that women must work to see female artists as musicians and artists first before they consider their looks/the ability to monetize their sexuality.
Growth in the music industry
Nowadays with YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, you can put out an absolutely fire track, and it can unexpectedly go viral. The whole world is tapped in. Everyone is watching.
Here in Namibia, the music industry doesn’t feel quite as exciting and positive as it has in previous years. A lot of new music feels like it lacks a little bit of originality Oteya, expresses. Sometimes artists become so focused on making a hit that they recycle the formulas of other successful songs and acts. However, it actually stops the growth of your audience and your career if you are too referential to past acts.
you will hit a ceiling really quickly.
That said, there are some local artists that have been breaking the would recently! The first time Oteya, saw Lioness, She was stunned at her sound and the fact that she was kind of mixing the English language with her own dialect as a female rapper. Her flow was so unique and so fresh!
I was – and continue to be – so impressed.
There has also been a massive, renewed global interest in Afro-pop, which gives all of us greater opportunities.
Oteya on Collaborations.
Oteyas’, biggest and most successful musical collaboration was with Macky2 from Zambia.
I just loved working with him. It went so smoothly. I loved his energy, and shooting the video was just effortless. In my opinion, the end result was something really beautiful, and the market kind of validated it. The song blew up here and in Zambia! I am very grateful to him for the work we were able to do together.
Oteya, thinks a great musical collaboration has the ability to expose one to new markets and audiences, and her song together with Macky2 definitely did that. Her producer, Preezy, has been by her side since she started her solo career. Preezy, really gets where they need to take Oteya, musically.
Aside from music. Oteya loves working with fashion designer, Melissa Poulton. They have such an amazing working relationship. House of Poulton understands exactly what Oteya wants and her designs are incredible, she feels.
Oteya continues to give a shout out to Martin Amushendje. The photo shoot they did together was unlike anything she has ever done before. He is so wildly creative, and she sees such a bright future for him.
I feel very lucky to have worked with him so early on in his career.
How do you balance your personal life with your work? Where do you draw the line?
I don’t really balance!
Everything is important to Oteya. Her career is important, her kid is important, her family is important. She is just like every other woman who goes to the office and juggles a family. She tries really hard to apply herself to everything.
Oteya, admits that she does not do it perfectly, but she really tries to be present in everything she does. Sometimes when she falls short of her goals, she reminds herself that so much of what she is doing in her career is to support her family.
Doing it differently…
She could never see herself doing anything but music Oteya, replies with no doubt in sight. Music is in her blood. She feels so lucky to get to do what she loves.
It’s funny, you know, because a lot of people don’t know that I was studying part-time while I was in Gal Level as well as working for the bank. No one was entirely confident that the music thing was going to work out, so I was juggling my work with Gal Level with training for a career that was a little more assured. Finally, I just said to myself, life is short.
She wants to look back at her life when she is 80 years of age and think that she really lived and gave this a shot. A lot of people get hung up on what we might lose if we really go all in on something and the shame we might face if we fail.
Oteya, hopes her career continues for decades to come, but even if it were to end tomorrow, she knows that she has given it her all and been very blessed. She wouldn’t change a thing.
Oteya and her future
With a new album coming out soon. Very Afrochic. A lot of what you will be seeing from Oteya, in the immediate future is going to reflect that sound and that aspect of who she is as a Namibian woman. She also wants to get out there and test international waters. This upcoming album features a lot of local, female artists, and she believes her fans are really going to love it.
She plans to give the boys a run for their money!
Follow Oteya on Instagram to keep up with what she gets up to.
