26-year-old singer Queen Cha presents a sophisticated character in her music videos rather than the humble demeanor that she actually is.

She began her singing career five years ago but will only be completing her first album this year. Even after her big break in the singing career, the singer, real names Yvonne Mujyemana, blames this on her personality.

"I release one song at a time and I think that is because of personality, I take things one step at a time. I don’t rush things,” she says.

The name Queen Cha came from the abbreviation of the names of her father Charles and her late mother Adeline, thus ‘Cha’, "and I’m my parents’ queen, hence adding Queen,” she says.

It was the first time that the ‘Iwawe’singer was participating in the recently concluded Primus Guma Guma competition but she managed to scoop fifth place, beating the other five contestants in the competition.

"I was amazed. It’s a sign that I’m heading somewhere. I’m going to make it big in the music industry,” she says with glee.

Her journey

Queen Cha only does music and lives with her father and young sister. Together with her family they always sung in the church and she always loved it.

"I always loved singing in the church with my family and I grew up thinking that I would sing but I didn’t know how or when I would do it.”

"In 2012 when I recorded my song, Riderman heard my voice and when he started a new label called Ibisubizi, he called me and told me he wanted to help my new career if I was interested. It took me a few days to think about and I realized it would be the biggest opportunity I ever had and I just started singing career,” she narrates.

She reveals that the beginning of her career was not a smooth ride for the singer from both family and the public.

"It wasn’t easy because not everyone understands what you’re trying to do. They thought I’m a crazy girl who was going to get naked, take drugs and change my personality, but all I had to do was to prove to them that I wanted to do it the right way because I had the talent, the funds and was motivated,” she says

Her biggest musical supporters were Riderman and a few family members, including her cousin Safi Madiba of the Urban Boys, with whom they have done a couple of collabos together.

As expected of many young artists, Queen Cha’s father was not happy with the career her daughter had embarked on, half way into University. She had to balance her social life and studies at university.

"My father was confused because I was in my second year at university and was afraid because he wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to complete studies. When I graduated in 2014, he settled with my decision and gave me a go ahead,” she says.

Turning point

"I staged some concerts after I realized that I had so many fans, although I didn’t know what to expect. One day while I was at home listening to the radio I heard a fan calling in and requesting for my song. I was excited and I believe that those are the small things that motivated me to keep going,” she says.

She reveals however that the song that has touched her life is ‘Icyaha Ndacyemera’, giving her a different public presentation.

"It gave the public a different perspective about me and I spent a lot of energy on it which was worth it. I think that no day goes by without getting a message from someone about the song since its release in 2013.”

The release of her song ‘Alone’, a break up song, was a trying period for the singer, having broken up with her then boyfriend DJ Cox whom she had dated for six years.

"I had written the song a year before with his help and I coincidently released the song after we had broken up. I received so many remorseful messages from my fans but it was difficult to convince them that the song was not about him.”

"In the end it got me bored and I pitied him with the pressure that he was getting from people. It was a difficult moment for both of us,” she explains.

Lessons learnt

When you choose to become a singer, your life changes completely, you get to meet many people that you don’t know and therefore have to be strong and control your new life, yet respect everyone.

It’s hard transiting from private life to being celebrity because then you live your life the way you want to. There are many people out there that take us as role models and you therefore have to inspire people and be careful of the way you live, she says.