Interview: Cameroonian Gospel Singer Merveille Onguenet – MissGinaPromotes

Cameeoonian Blogger Miss Gina Promotes, meets with AFRIMA 2017 nominee and The Voice Afrique 2018 finalist Merveille Onguenet,for a One to One touching on her music career in general, as a Gospel Artist. 

1. Name:

Merveille Onguenet

2: Stage Name:

Merveille

3. Born:

30/06/1989

4. Home Town:

Originally from Efok in Central Region of Cameroon

5. Marital Status:

Single

6. How did your interest for Gospel music start?

My interest for gospel music began naturally from childhood,my mom always took us to church and I used to go to “Sunday school” where I use to sing in the children’s choir.

7. Why did you chose Gospel as a genre of music ? Why not soul or R n B ?

No, Miss Gina, to my believe, gospel is a universal word to describe songs that carry perculiar messages.
Gospel as in the “word” the “message”
It now depends on the type of message you transmit, is it hope? peace? love? Jesus? etc
Now what make it all complete to me is the Spirit with which I sing the song, is it Holy or not Holy?
Miss Gina, note that gospel music can be done via all genres of music. Be it via rap, soul, rnb, reggae, slow, jazz, folklore, you can name them.So,I choosed gospel music because am burning with the desire to transmit several messages to humanity!

8. Are signed to any Record Label ?

I’m not signed to any Label yet.

9. Gospel music is a bit over crowded.How do you intend to different and outstanding ?

I wish to distinguish myself through the leadership of the HolySpirit, as He inspires me, as He leads me and also technically via the melodious play with my voice on outstanding sonorities.

10. Who inspires you musically ?

Musically, Miss Gina every professional artist that I have ever listened to from childhood inspires me. Because I realise that there is something very much unique to every professional artist.

Just to name a few, Donmoen, CeCe Winans, Whitney Houston, Tony Braxton, Grace Decca, Annie anzouer, Charlotte dipanda, Miriam Makeba, Annemarie nzie, Bebe Manga, Tata Kinge, Celine Dion, Micheal Jackson, Luther Vandros … The list is endless, that was just to name a few.They all have something unique to their artistic personality.

11. What was it like making it to the finals of the Voice Afrique?

Making it to the finals of the Voice Afrique francophone was a light throw to the beginning of my artistic career. This is because there, I had the opportunity as an upcoming artist to stage on platteform that is broadly viewed across the globe, this then gave me a good exposure of my talent thus visibility.That I need to as an upcoming artist.

I was also opportuned to work with some music gurus like “Lokua Kanza” who was my coach, as well as with other stars like Singuila, Josey, Youssoufa, Charlotte Dipanda etc
There, I also met the fabulous mic guru and Pan-African “Claudi Siar” he is an “encyclopedia” and many more…

The Voice Afrique francophone to me was an adventure, a human adventure, social, artistic, cultural, intercultural adventure as well.It was a school, I learnt alot!

12. What were the challenges you faced during the competition ?

Being a flexible type, I didn’t really face so many challenges over there in the competion, except at the level of the choices of songs, cause I was being careful not to choose immoral songs you know…but yet it wasn’t a big deal.
I had some challenge with the type of food we were eating, it was not that bad but not to my taste as a Cameroonian, but I coped with it.

13. What do you hope to achieve with your music ?

With my music, I hope to touch many lives, I hope to see lives changing from negativity to positivity.
I also hope to see people being under the influence of the HolySpirit, being healed, restored, delivered, why not being saved for real!

14*. What is your perspective on the current state of the Cameroon Music Industry?

Without any critics cause I don’t want to engage into any music politics, well I will say I have noticed that most upcoming artists in Cameroon tend to sing about love “in its romantic sense” forgetting about the real sense of love in its undiluted state, “Human to Human plain sense of relationship” I would refer it to “agape love”. Also, there is alot of copy and paste in our Cameroon music industry, young artists love easiness, because of the quest for “cocoa” you understand what I mean, so they’re all diving into what we call “commercial music” nowadays,hence you will hear expressions like “showbiz” meaning “business in the show”. It’s all about making money today in our music industry, so if you make money via music you become a star by easily showing off even “nonentities”. Originality and creativity is loosing it’s rightful place, because the young artists are loosing patience to spend time to work on their projects.They choose to go in for commercial music in search of money, consequently we’ll find out that many call themselves “Artists” in our country because they have gone to the studio and they’ve produced a commercial song for them via “the magic of the machines” whereas they don’t even have that gift or talent to sing!! They overcrowd the music market and the “purists” the real artist can’t be heard nor recognised easily like before.People now know that with music it is easy to travel overseas, thus anyone will just get in the studio and perform magic with machines and would call his/herself an artist. No! Miss Gina am being hard but I think we have to go the hard way too. Music is a thing of the “spirit” it deals with the body, and soul as well, it is profound, not everyone is called to embark into it, “passion first, then money will follow.”

Miss Gina I so much believe in old school!!
It’s music that never dies, it edifies too,
Unlike the commercial music that dies with time.In short this topic it’s a whole debate Miss Gina, I could elaborate many points on it till day dawn, but I would like to end here…

15. Name 3 things you won’t travel without.

I won’t travel without my Bible, my phone, my ear piece.

16. Are you involved with any other activities aside music ?

Yes ofcourse!!
Beside music I teach French as a foreign language,
At times, I also Interprete in some local churches from both French to English and vice versa.
I also do some editing too be it video editing or editing literatures.
I love cooking and doing hair dressing too…

17. What are your hobbies ?

My hobbies… I love having some quiet time!
I love listening to music of all genres.
I love riding the bicycle.
I like watching documentaries, news, cartoons and some series on TV.

18. If you had an opportunity to feature one upcoming artist in your song, who will that be?

If I had an opportunity I would like to feature with many of them both in and out of the country!!
To avoid being biased, I will not give names, but as I said earlier, every professional artist has some proper to his/herself, unique to his/herself self, we only do complete each other!…

19. What advice will you give anyone striving to take up gospel music as a Career ?

My advice to anyone who wants to take up a music career, be it gospel or not, I will say “stay closer to Jesus-Christ, maintain your intimacy with the Holy Spirit and you shall testify!”
Also, work harder as far as your vocals and vocal techniques are concerned, because God also love “quality music.”  Also, work hard on your “compositions!!”

20. What are your future plans and where can people download or purchase your songs ?

For now I’m focusing on marketing my Album and recent music video titled “Na You”. To purchase, stream, download my songs or watch my videos, just visit any digital store like Itunes,Spotify etc, SoundCloud or YouTube and type the name Merveille Onguenet. To keep up for more details i suggest you add me on Facebook and Instagram “Merveille Onguenet”. Thank you.