Ethnix: A unique pair

Made up of Julius 'Page' Hamwele and Etjo Kangumine, Ethnix is making a name for themselves on the music scene where credibility is everything. Having successfully fused R&B and rap with traditional music on the singles leading up to the release of their debut album Made In Namibia, there is still plenty of room for them to influence urban subculture and run with it like a thief in Eveline Street. With a new album to their name, the duo refuses to be boxed in and is set to leave their mark on the industry. On what they are hoping to achieve in the industry, Page mentioned that they aim to begin a revolution of perception. With their debut album released last year, the duo intends to lay the foundation for their music and establish a strong fan base that will be able to catapult them into their sophomore album. “We do not expect a lot finance wise. As long as we touch people with our music, that for us is the biggest milestone we could ever achieve,” said Page. Covering many music styles on their album, Etjo emphasised that they put out such a colourful album to examine their strengths as they experimented with different sounds while making the album. “We want to make sure that this album is exhausted and we are hoping this album really puts us out in the market. We are hoping that the sound goes international,” Etjo said confidently. Their 15-track project features Kp Illest, King Elegant, Top Cheri, Uaatjo and Sunny Boy. Page shared that the album took them six years to complete, and for that reason, there are songs on the debut that sound nostalgic. The duo maintain that it was not easy dealing with fans who wanted more from them but they felt they needed to take their time in crafting their album. The duo also have normal jobs and because of those commitments, it was not always easy to secure studio time. “Despite making our fans wait for so long, one thing we are grateful for is how the album has been embraced by the music community. “We have fans who would call us and offer to send us money through eWallet for us to send them the songs via WhatsApp. That's how much our music is in demand,” Etjo said. To ensure that their album is distributed to all corners of the country, Page told tjil they partnered up with Djokic 'Antonio' Dragan of Antonio's Arts, who has a deal with Engen outlets to sell Namibian music. “Made In Namibia was among the top selling albums at Antonio's Arts and that is an indication that it is doing well. We also received our first cheque from Donlu Africa in December, which means online sales are doing well too.” Their 2020 plans entail complementing the album with visuals, a process they said will involve their fans as far as decision-making is concerned. “We are about to shoot our next music video but we asked our fans to select the song. The song that gets the most votes will get a video. We do music for our fans so involving them in such decision-making is important for us,” said Etjo. They also look forward to being nominated at this year's Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs), adding that a win at the biggest platform for Namibian music will mean a lot to them. “Winning a NAMA will also mean we will have enough funding for our next project, so we are hoping and praying for the best,” said Page.MICHAEL KAYUNDE

Ethnix: A unique pair

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-03

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Ethnix: A unique pair

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-03

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