Stepping into Lucky Dube's shoes- Daughter of legendary reggae star attempts to conquer Seychelles

(Seychelles News Agency) - In October 2007, the great reggae artist Lucky Dube was shot dead in a Johannesburg suburb.

The media worldwide reported that 43 year old Dube was dropping his teenage son and daughter off when he was attacked by car thieves.

"House of exile," "Together as one," and  "Prisoner and Slave" are just some of the great tracks that fans across the world are left to remember him by.

Seven years later, Lucky Dube’s daughter Nkulee Dube seems to be following in her father’s footsteps, as she sings the songs her father would have been proud of.

SNA caught up with the 29 year old singer and song writer on Friday August 15, on the third most populated Seychelles island of La Digue just before she performed before hundreds of Reggae fans gathered on the Island for the La Digue Feast.

SNA: Nkulee firstly can you tell us why you chose to come and perform in Seychelles for a first time?

N.D  It’s my dad’s birthday month and we came in with Basil [Bouchereau of Casanba Production- Seychellois music agent] to do a celebration tour in Seychelles …...So yes it’s a great opportunity as well for me as an artist that’s why I am here.

SNA In Seychelles people loved your father, they loved his music. Do you want to follow in his footsteps?

I would love to definitely, but it’s very big shoes to fill especially for a female artist. But that’s definitely where my goal is, if I were to even be a 10 percent of what my dad was it would be a great great honour for me.

SNA What kind of songs do you sing? Are you taking your father’s songs or you have your own composition?

N.D I have my own album it’s called ‘My way’ it was released in 2009. So right now we are busy with another one that we’re going to release next year. There was another one in 2003. So I have been an artist prior to the whole situation. When he goes on tour I would go on tour (….) But now I have to bring back his show and mine and combine it….still have him there type of thing, that’s what am doing here.

SNA: What kind of message do you bring across in your song as your father always had a message?

N.D For me, because am the younger generation basically my songs deal with issues that affect us young people my age in our time. In his time, he was talking about apartheid, we don’t have apartheid anymore. So am dealing with like child molestation type of time that’s happening in my time, women abuse and all those stuff happening around me. So that’s mostly one of the messages that I have and I have a lot of love messages. Spread the Love. (Laughs) 

SNA: What do you know about the Seychelles, as it is your first time here. Do people in South Africa know much about Seychelles?

N.D  Yes they do. Before we came here we did a pre-show to prepare for this performance. Yes they did know where we’re going, they even hash-tagged it on Twitter so yes they have some idea. Usually we go to Reunion and Mauritius, so we’ve done these island, this is the first time coming to Seychelles, this is the island we haven’t conquered yet.

SNA: Welcome to Seychelles

N.D Thank you so much, I do feel welcome but the heat is not welcoming at all (Laughs)

SNA: And what about your first experience in Seychelles. What is your impression?

ND: I think it’s one of the most beautiful places I have been to….. I mean the people here…. …humility is just there……they’re just loving each other, I have seen it in the street ……we met a few people it’s just all love I have tops to talk about Seychelles. 

SNA: The tragedy that happened to your father…It was quick sad and painful for many in Seychelles because we loved Lucky Dube, loved his songs. It’s must surely be something terrible for you to lose your father in such tragic situation?

ND: Yes it was. It was a very low time in my life, because I had to stop working, for I think about a year or so just to come down and go through the whole therapy situation, because I was in the car with him when it happened. So I had to go through a lot of therapy jut to get myself together. It was very sad it was a horrible horrible experience for me.

Nkulee Dube was recently honoured at the International Reggae and World Music Awards, where she won the award for most Promising Entertainer at the Chicago, USA event in 2012.