#WCW: Singer Dela – Kenyan men have the best manners

Adeline Maranga, better known Dela, has claimed that Kenyan men have extremely good manners compared to men of other states.

In an exclusive interview with Citizen Digital, the 26-year-old singer divulged her observation.

“Kenyan men have manners and are too polite; I have toured the world, and I’d say the men out there are too ratcheting, upfront and have too much ‘thirst’. I won’t name any country; but they are too forceful.”

The fifth-year University of Nairobi student is our #WCW today.

She began singing at 7

The first born in a family of four began singing at the age of 7.

“My mum and family had a church music band. I remember seeing my relatives carrying instruments. My uncle used to play the guitar. That’s when I got interested in music. I was seven then,” she told Citizen Digital.

Dela would later in class eight write her first song.

She shadowed artistes before venturing into solo career

The 26-year-old has served as a background singer to almost all big names in Kenya’s music industry.

“After high school I started singing a lot of background vocals for popular artistes like Achieng’ Obura, Eric Wainaina, Sauti Sol, the Villagers’ Band among others.”

She would later after learning the ropes from the seasoned artistes pursue her solo career.

“I got a chance to do solo performance; from there I got a deal with Penya Africa which recorded my music. Within a year I had an album (Paukwa) which had 11 songs. I was 19-years-old then,” she said.

“That was my breakthrough and since then I have done a number of collaborations with top artistes like AY, Juliani, Mwafrika, Cannibal. Now I am with Taurus Music where I have rebranded from what I used to call Afro-soul to Afro-pop,” Dela added.

She was in the top 100 best performing KCPE students in Nairobi

The Our Lady of Mercy and Makini School alumnus is a classical representation of beauty and brains merged effortlessly.

“I passed my Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exams with flying colours; my name was in the papers as I featured in top100 in Nairobi that year,” she said.

She attended Kenya High School

Dela joined Kenya High School where she was a student leader from form one all through to form four.

“I had an easy time there. It seems like from the beginning, they spotted leadership in me. I was appointed a prefect in form one. Later in form three I was moved to the entertainment docket.”

Dela passed her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams and was called to join the University of Nairobi to pursue architecture.

She is in her final year at the University of Nairobi pursuing Architecture

Architecture is a course not for the faint-hearted; it requires commitment, determination and spiritedness.

When the Mafeelings singer faced challenges in balancing her course work and music, she deffered semesters.

“I deferred my Architectural studies for a while to pursue my music career. I am however now in my final year.”

She added: “There are times I could get so exhausted! Imagine having to thrill fans throughout the night, and submit a term paper the following day. Let alone the classes I should attend.”

How is she now managing to fulfill both music and course work?

“It wasn’t easy; both were suffering in equal measures. I decided to take a break and work out a plan.”

Dela has decided to delegate some functions to the label she’s signed in – at least to have time to complete her education.

“I now have a label supporting me; I’m not the one marketing my music, looking for gigs. I can go to school in the morning and record my songs in the evening,” she said.

She wishes to merge both art – music and architecture – to better Kenya

Dela says she in the future wishes to use the skills she has acquired in her architectural classes to design a state-of-the-art concert hall in Kenya.

“They (music and architecture) are both creative disciplines – I could probably go into designing concert halls; we don’t have such facilities in Kenya – a space where people can hold proper gigs.

“I’m in the music industry and I know what goes into putting up a proper gig structure to hold a memorable gig. I do understand the technical aspects architecturally, acoustically and aesthetically.

Dela is single

“I am single; I don’t have the time to do that right now – I am juggling between a lot of things. So, it wouldn’t be fair for the person who loves me.”

Dela however has a wide array of attributes of her ideal kind of man.

“It starts from the outside, and then it goes inwards; I wouldn’t notice you if you don’t look good. Smell good, dress well; be hardworking, supportive, focused, confident and motivated, I’d date you.