Lady JayDee

Since being crowned Best Female Artist in Tanzania in 2001 at M-Net's Where U At Awards, Judith Daines Wambura Mbibo, better known as Lady JayDee in music circles, has continued to soar. Binti (Daughter), her second album, was declared Best R&B Album at Tanzania Music Awards on August 6, 2004

But this is hardly surprising for a musician who is fast getting used to winning awards since beginning to record music in 2000. The video of Machozi (Tears), her debut R&B album released on May 11 2000, not only set standards in Tanzanian music and helped win many fans to JayDee but also went on to clinch the title for Best Video in East Africa category in Channel O-organised Reel Music Video Awards competition.

JayDee, who says she was inspired by artists like Whitney Houston, Monica, Lauryn Hill, Lil Kim, and Dr Dre, says she is "ready to rule the world". "Out of faith I started singing in church in Shinyanga and, with the help of my two good friends-my mom Martha and my manager Ruge Mutahaba--I am blossoming," says the musician who began singing in a church choir at the age of seven. She does not hesitate to credit God for her apparently good fortunes: "I wouldn't have got where I am today without the help of God."

The 10-song Binti may be proof of why Lady JayDee is the First Lady of Tanzanian Kiswahili R&B. Some of the outstanding tracks on this recording include Si Wema, Siri yangu, and Usiusemee moyo. They are well crafted sentimental poetry, arranged artistically and sung melodically by the singer who was in 2003 nominated for Most Promising Female Artist category in the Kora All Africa Music Awards. Jay Dee's clear, mellow voice and fluency in Kiswahili have won her numerous fans. Her mastery of most popular genres of East African music makes her the most sought after sessions singer in the recording sector. Having been voted the best Tanzanian R&B female artist in 2002, Lady JayDee was the same year invited to perform in the Kora All Africa Designers competition, an event that takes place the night before the Music Festival.

Born of Martha and Lameck Isambua Mbibo on June 15 1979, JayDee became a presenter at Clouds 88.4 FM radio station after completing secondary school and soon began recording music, starting with Nakupenda (I love you) in 2000 and then following up with Mpenzi Wangu (My love). These two singles registered JayDee as a talented singer when they went straight to the top of the charts of various radio stations in Tanzania. This success made her to give up radio presentation in order to concentrate on music. And the gamble has paid off, judging by her success. After leaving Clouds FM, JayDee spent two years performing, touring and enjoying the achievement of Machozi before proving to friend and foe that she is not just a flash in the pan but that she is here to stay in the release two controversial hit singles, Usiusemee Moyo and Wanaume kama mabinti, in 2003.

While the former cautions women in love against deluding themselves that they are the only apple of their lovers, the latter is a scathing criticism of loose-footed men who depend on women without thinking about their future.

On February 1 2003, with the sponsorship of CRDB Bank, Tusker Lager and Twiga Cement, JayDee launched her second album, Binti. Now, a year later, Lady JayDee has just completed Moto (Fire), her third album. Out of the 16 songs she recorded, only eight made it to the album. Even then, she says, it was not easy choosing the song to be released as the first official single of Moto.

While radio DJs-who determine the success or failure of albums in Tanzania as they also act as promoters-and her friends chose Rafiki wa mashaka (troublesome friends), a true life story about betrayal among friends and a tabloid that pulls an otherwise good woman’s name in the mire, her management chose Distance, a song in seven languages: Kiswahili, English, isiZulu, Lingala, French, Chinyarwanda, and Luganda. The song is about a girl who loves and needs someone but he is out of reach.

Lady JayDee says she wrote the song while on performance tour of Binti in the United Kingdom.

Back to Machozi, her debut full album.
As is her habit, most songs on the 12-track album are for contemplation on the daily living although spiced with the theme of love that flows through all her recordings. Tatiza is a re-doing of an old popular taraab song put to modern beats. The song that stands out on the recording is the title one, Machozi that is enjoying massive airplay on various radio and television channels. The song is like a lamentation and some form of comfort to people who have lost their lovers. More than half of Machozi tackles the theme of love in songs like Machozi, Tatiza, Pumziko, and Waweza kwenda na umuhimu wako.

Lady JayDee, who plans to take a break of more than two years from recording after Moto, has just completed filming seven music videos with Tanzania-based South African Company, African Picture. She has just formed a band called Machozi in order to make her performances live. Machozi Band will be launched on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2005. She refers to the band as Machozi from her songs that are full of sorrow and regret, she says. JayDee, who says she composes her own songs besides performing them, says she stopped singing in church choir upon venturing into recording music.

She says she has a boyfriend but under no circumstances will she divulge his name

As to when the ninth born child of Martha and Lameck Mbibo of Mara Province of Tanzania could marry, she is non-committal

Some Milestones in Lady JayDee’s career at a glance: Performed in Kora Designers Competition in South Africa in 2001 Winner of M-Net where U @ ? Awards 2001 for The Best Female Artist in Tanzania Winner of two Tanzania Music Award in 2001 and 2002 for The Best Female Artist and The Best Video for Machozi album Winner of Youth Achievements Awards 2003 for The Best Song and The Best Video of Usiusemee Moyo Kora Music Awards 2003 nominee for The Most Promising Female Artist In Africa for Siri Yangu Winner of Channel-O’s Reel Video Music Awards 2003 for The Best East African Artist Winner of Tanzania Music Awards 2004 for The Best R&B Album for Binti album

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