Why do you think a program such as Voice for Change that aims to inspire youth and create positivity is important?
Krown: A program like VFC is important because it showcases examples from people that are leaders and if the younger generation can see that, they would want to do something that is positive and inspirational instead of negative and destructive.
Malesh: Voice for Change is a great project because it focuses on positive movements in the community, which is something that you rarely see in the media especially within the South Sudanese community. Having a success story like Majak Daw will hopefully inspire the upcoming generation to get out there and chase their dreams.
Are there particular aspects of the Voice for Change hip hop artists and sports people and their stories that have resonated with you?
Krown: I’ve resonated with all because being the youngest one involved in the program, I took something from each one of them; they are my big brothers and sisters.
Malesh: My aspiration comes from my supporters. Hearing someone talk about how much they appreciate and understand your music is one of the best feelings an artist can ever have. Those are the moments that I enjoy the most. I’ve had a number of people telling me about how they can relate to a certain song on my album, or how a certain song has changed their life. Ninety-nine percent of the time I don’t really know what to say back to them because I didn’t anticipate such reaction, I was just writing down my feelings or addressing an issue that’s affecting me or the community at that time. For my music to have impacted someone’s live and give them hope is such a blessing and an honour.
How has music shaped who you are – not just as a developing artist – but as a person?
Krown: Music has shaped me in a lot of forms. It’s showed me there’s many ways (flows) to deal with situations (beats) and also the amount impact I can have on someone else’s life.
My family weren’t happy with me when I started doing music, to them it was just a waste of time, they wanted me to focus on my school and become a doctor, lawyer or engineer, typical African family you can say, but when you hear elders in the community talking about how positive my music is and how much of a role model I can be it changed their mind and they eventually accepted it, but it was all because I took the risk of going against their will and focusing on what makes me happy. It doesn’t always end up good but you just have to take the risk and hope for the best.
What inspires you to continue to follow your passion and aspire to make a career from it?
Krown: It’s my passion for it that keeps me going, I do it because I love it, the positive power it gives me enables me to use it for a better cause. It gives me a voice for change.
How do you think music impacts the community and brings people together? How do music and sport intertwine?
Krown: Music is one of the leaders of culture, we artists or musicians make something you relate to as guidance.
Music sets the tone. Sport is similar in bringing people together. Sport intertwines with music through the passion that people share at stadiums or venues.
What advice would you give to your peers and others within the community who want to follow their passions in creative fields? What gives you the confidence to do so?
Krown: First advice would be to find a reason why you want to do it – the main purpose. And just keep at it with a vision or a goal, what gives me confidence in my music is my passion for it. I love it.
Malesh: My advice to the youth in my community is to switch off the TV for a day or two, get off social media and take a moment to think about what it is that they want to achieve in life. Being in Australia is a privilege; we are no longer limited to what we can and can’t do. Opportunities knock on our doors every day you just have to work hard, make sacrifices and believe in yourself. Nothing comes easy, yes we can be distracted but how do you overcome that distraction? You surround yourself with peers who are go-getters and have a vision, because they’ll be the first ones to support you and help you achieve your goals. No dream is too small or too big.
Watch the latest installment of Voice For Change below.
