From making history as the first-ever East African act to be nominated for the BET Awards to waving the flag of youth empowerment, Tanzanian singer-songwriter, multi-instrument master, and youth activist Abigail Chams owns who she is and what she does while keeping things chic and making her mark with her aesthetic.
The star talked about her love for her favourite colour and how to her it signified more than simply popping out in style.
“My current aesthetic is chilled and laid-back but also edgy. I have an obsession with the colour black, and as hard as I try to wear other colours, I always find myself not being able to get over that one particular colour. I think the reason behind my liking it is because there’s something about it that demonstrates strength and power and courage,” she said.
Abigail Chams | SUPPLIED
The “Me Too” hitmaker spoke of the phases she went through before she found her signature go-to wardrobe, from navigating the days of tomboy tendencies during her schooling years to finding a trademark sweet spot when picking out clothes as the present-day Abigail.
“It’s been a rollercoaster when it comes to my fashion sense over the years. When I was in middle school, I was very much a tomboy. I hated anything pink and I never wanted skirts and anything floral and too girly. I was literally always the only girl in class wearing shorts instead of a skirt to school. At some point, I had a complete change of heart and found myself loving skirts and dresses. As of now, I think I’ve found a balance because I still love to be comfortable while feeling good and sexy. That balance has led me to mixing up jeans and shorts, which all give a laid-back vibe which gives power while keeping it feminine,” she said.
An itinerate songstress, Chams named some items she loves to inventory when stepping out for reason or the other.
“Whenever I’m out, I definitely take a cute bag with me, something along the lines of a tote bag. I have a thing for them. A pair of high heels, too, whether they are boots or kitten heels; I love the feel of having my feet elevated from the ground. Another thing I love having on me are accessories because they make such a huge difference to an outfit. I could be wearing the most basic white tee with denim shorts, but everything about the outfit changes for the better the moment I start going ham on the earrings, on the rings, on the bracelets and necklaces,” she said.
Abigail Chams | SUPPLIED
A youth advocate and a motherland champion of mental health activism, Chams recently joined forces with Visa, a partnership aimed at empowering the youth of her region while also helping young creatives to foster their creativity.
“The Visa partnership is one thing that has my heart because it’s so much more than just a payment method. It’s the empowerment of young people and making it easier for the youth to chase their dreams, and that’s something I’m always advocating for. It makes life as a young person easier and safer. It’s also better because you get to pay without additional charges, and as young girl trying to motivate other young people to go after what they want, this partnership is way of letting young people know that the sky is the limit. This kind of thing also helps young people pay more attention to what they do with their money and how much they save while also taking care of their creativity and nurturing their talents,” she said.
The creator of The Talk spoke about the importance of using her influence to help young people manage their finances.
“I hope to educate young people more on their finances, such as how to save and how to invest, that is. Apart from music, I run a mental health initiative and one of the top things young people always bring up that’s a concern to their mental health are their finances. It’s a big deal being able to have open conversations with young people on how to generate income, how to save it, and how to reinvest it as well so that they can have enough room to worry about their creativity. A lot of young people put their passions on hold because the only thing on their minds is to survive. They’d rather settle for a 9-to-5 instead of chasing after their dreams as sportspeople or creatives,” she said.
Abigail Chams | SUPPLIED
Whether its spending time combing the seashores or curling up with a good read, Chams shared some activities she loved doing when not making music… even though the musical side of her intruded, nonetheless.
“I’m such a musical person, so you’ll always find me with a guitar. Because of my obsession with the ocean, a random thing that you’ll find me doing is spending time at the beach. If not, then I’m hanging around with my family or reading a book. It’s always either one of those three things, but knowing myself, there’s always going to be a guitar in the mix,” she said, giggling.