Singer, 12, scouted for US performance
EVERYTHING seems to be going according to plan for Swazi Sibam, a multi-talented 12-yearold songbird from East London, who is set perform at the Walt Disney World Swan in the US later this year.
Swazi, who started singing at the age of six, said she had always aspired to share the global stage with international artists like Justin Bieber and Adele.
The Grade 7 pupil from Merrifield School recently participated in the Ultimate Performer competition, where she scooped two gold medals for singing and acting in the junior division.
“I can just see that everything is falling into place, everything happening in my life is taking me where I want to be,” Swazi said.
“I started singing from a very young age and this was inspired by my mother, who not only read me bedtime stories but sang me to sleep.
“I got so used to it, I could not sleep without hearing a song, until I started imitating her and that is how I fell in love with singing,” she said.
Swazi was scouted by Kim Myers, an American actress, motivational speaker and talent scout-casting producer for Arts International, when she went as far as the semifinals in a talent competition hosted by Just You Model Agency in October.
The budding star recalled her first performance in front of an audience.
“I was in Grade 1 and it was games evening at Stirling Primary where I was at school at the time. I did not have a backtrack and all I could hear was the sound of my voice,” she said.
“I was so nervous but the feedback I received from my friends and teachers encouraged me to continue.”
Swazi said she had always lived in the shadow of her elder sister, Umtha, 16, who is also attending the Walt Disney World Swan for modelling and dancing.
“If it was not for my sister, my music teacher Mrs McLaren and my mom, I would never have come so far.”
Despite her thriving music career, she will never neglect her books “because I still want to study to be a dermatologist”.
Everything happening in my life is taking me where I want to be