Name: Xenia Manasseh
Occupation: Singer, songwriter
Nationality: Kenyan-Ugandan
Current release: Xenia Manasseh's latest single “Phases” is out now.  

If you enjoyed this Xenia Manasseh interview and would like to find out more about her music, visit her on Instagram.  
 


Do you think that some of your earliest musical experiences planted a seed for your interest in your voice and singing? How and when did you start singing?

Absolutely. My earliest memory is of me playing the piano in kindergarten. I grew up in a musical family, so it’s safe to assume I’ve been doing it all my life.

It feels like it’s just a part of who I am and have always been.

If you're also playing other instruments, how does the expressive potential of these compare to your own voice?

Interesting question ... I actually think that getting to know my voice has helped me express myself even better when also playing other instruments, regardless of it being the strongest.

Everything feels connected, but is an extension of the voice.

Singing is an integral part of all cultures, and traditions. Which of these do you draw from – and why?

Both. I don’t really think it’s a matter of why I do, it’s just inherent. It’s a reflection of my upbringing.

How do you see the relationship between harmony, rhythm and melody? Do you feel that honing your sense of rhythm and groove has an effect on your singing skills?

I think they’re all connected and the more you tap into all of them, they naturally influence each other and it becomes instinctual.

I play a lot of different instruments but drums were one of my first and I know that, because of it, I naturally have a percussive approach to singing.

How would you describe the physical sensation of singing? [Where do you feel the voice, do you have a visual sensation/representation, is there a sense of release or tension etc …]

Like breathing but with sound lol  - I feel like the essence of singing is how you breathe and is just going between tension and releasing.

What kind of musical settings and situations do you think are ideal for your own voice?

Warmth! Always.

From whispers to screams, from different colours to dynamics, what are the potentials and limits of your voice? How much of your vocal performance can and do you want to control?

Not really sure how to explain the limits of my voice, but a lot of the extremes that I’ve discovered have been because of not really trying to control my voice and letting myself fully explore my range and all the different sounds I can create with it.

I’d say that learning about the voice requires a mix of being in control and letting go.

When you're writing song lyrics, do you sense or see a connection between your voice and the text? Does it need to feel and sound “good” or “right” to sing certain words? What's your perspective in this regard of singing someone else's songs versus your own?

I definitely always feel like the melody has to match the word. It has to feel right and you somehow always know when it doesn’t.

I think when it comes to singing other people’s songs, I take the same approach. I always give myself the liberty to play with the melody but I always only sing what feels “right,” and so I never sing anything the same way.

How has technology, such as autotune or effect processing, impacted singing? Has it been a concrete influence on your own approach?

I wouldn’t use the word influential but I would say that I have enjoyed being able to use autotune. There’s a freedom I’ve found in using it. I’d honestly just say that it’s fun. It leaves room for you to push the limits of your vocal ability without really having to worry about making mistakes. Sometimes it also works in favor of the “mistakes.”

I also love creating soundscapes and I think technology has helped with that aspect because you get easy access to sound banks & can also create your own.



Motherese may have been the origin of music, and singing is possibly the earliest form of musical expression, and culture in general. How connected is the human voice to your own sense of wellbeing, your creativity, and society as a whole?

I think as a singer, I get to experience the voice in a different way. I would like to think I get to use it in more ways than the normal person.

I feel like it’s an extension of who I am and there are certain things I can’t express properly/in the way that I want if I don’t sing them. I personally think there’s a lot of pure expression I find in singing that I don’t get from just speaking.



In my immediate community, singing has passed down lots of stories and I really think has kept my family united. I’d say singing is my strongest connection to home.