I’m originally from Freetown in Sierra Leone, West Africa. During the 1991 civil war (commonly referred to as the Blood Diamond War), my family and I were attacked at 4am in our home by four truckloads of soldiers. We were dragged outside the house and my dad was nearly beaten to death with the base of countless guns. He was then taken away for two weeks. My dad suffered from severe epilepsy, and having been snatched away without his medication, we presumed him dead.
The day after the attack, I clearly remember scrubbing his blood off the floor. I was 11 years old.
My parents were always kind and giving to the locals, so somehow we managed to get help from people who liaised with the rebels for us, and my dad was eventually released after two weeks of being beaten, humiliated and God knows what else. Eventually we managed to escape Sierra Leone and fled to the UK where we ended up homeless and stayed in a hostel in Sydenham in south London. Some time later we were placed in a council estate in nearby Forest Hill. This was followed by many, many years of hardship.
Migrating to a foreign country brings with it many challenges: cultural differences as well as racial, verbal and psychological abuse. But still, we considered ourselves to be very lucky because the people who didn’t manage to escape were getting their arms and legs chopped off, and pregnant women were getting their bellies sliced open because the ‘soldiers’/rebels were curious and wanted to know which way the unborn child was lying in its mother’s stomach.
I’ve always wanted to sing and perform ever since I can remember. In Sierra Leone that is not something one aspires to do. Fast forward to a few years later in the UK, and I received a scholarship to the same stage school as Julie Andrews. Before graduating I got the lead part in the musical Fame, playing Carmen – her character is known as Coco in the movie (played by Irene Cara).
I’ve always wanted to sing. In Sierra Leone that is not something one aspires to do
I toured around in musicals for years but always wanted to make my own music and I had a lot to say, so I stopped a fairly secure job in musical theatre (secure in comparison to making your own music, that is) and decided to punish myself further and become a full-time musician. My debut EP went to number one on iTunes in Ireland in 2014, and was chosen by BBC Introducing as some of London’s best new music. Roots Manuva invited me on tour with him, I’m currently in an advert for Virgin Media and playing one of the leads in the new Guitar Hero game, as well as performing alongside Paloma Faith and working on my second EP. It has undoubtedly been a huge struggle and continues to be so, but I consider myself to be very, very, very lucky to be alive, have food and shelter – and to have all of my body parts.
Read more about Yasmin at yasminkadi.com
