Just like the melodies from your favorite songs, he is here, there and everywhere. It was in 1992 that Manasseh's family picked up and left Khartoum as refugees. Their destination was Nairobi Kenya. As a Sudanese growing up in Kenya, Manasseh recalls feeling foreign and knowing that his new environment wasn't exactly home. While at school, he would recite the Kenyan loyalty pledge and recognize a desire to sing the South Sudanese national anthem. Manasseh grew up in the church. His father was a pastor and his sisters sang in the choir and other occasions. His sisters' singing inspired him to experiment with his own artistic ability. His mother had a song for each of his siblings and he recalls music playing all around their home. Coming from a musical family his elder siblings nicknamed him “Jackson 6” as he would dance to the Jackson 5. Manasseh cites Bob Marley, Kanda Bongo Man, Coolio and Boys II Men as some of his earlier musical influences. In 2011, when South Sudan won its independence from Sudan, Manasseh decided to return home to be a part of a society that values and accepts him as their own. He could imagine future generations being able to sing their own national anthem. Not long after the 2011 referendum, fighting broke out in South Sudan. Many citizens believed the country had a promising future and the new conflict left them disheartened. Amongst those citizens was Manasseh. His frustration would later inspire him to become a human rights and peace activist. He became one of the co-founders of ⁠AnaTaban⁠ a youth led artist collective aiming to bring peace to South Sudan. As an Artist, Manasseh says “I do music not just to entertain, I do music to tell my story, to tell my truth.” In 2008, he released his first album Voice of My Heart which he describes as a fully gospel album that is “a conversation between me and my creator.” He took a long hiatus from music but released a few singles in 2014. In 2021, he released his second album ⁠Hagiga, the Arabic word for “truth”. Manasseh released the album while living in exile due to a government crackdown on activists. The 12 track album blends different sounds, messages and melodic moods with songs like Leadership Crisis, Gowi and Peace Sign. Some of the tracks on the album feature South Sudanese artists Natty P, Mandela DK, Kiden Lulu and a few others. In A Conversation with Manasseh Mathiang, he speaks on which South Sudanese Artists he’d like to collaborate with, mentioning his sister Ruth Mathiang and the legendary Emmanuel Kembe. He speaks on one of the most memorable performances of his career being in Nairobi where his son and nieces saw him perform and his son later joined him on stage. Manasseh hopes to influence the thoughts, culture and life of anyone who listens to his music. To learn more about Manasseh Mathiang visit his ⁠website⁠, subscribe to his ⁠youtube channel⁠ and follow him on Instagram @manassehfanan⁠ Please like, share, subscribe and write your comments. #southsudan #Sudan #Culture #African #Lifestyle #Podcast #EastAfrica #Juba #Nairobi Produced by Junubia Media LLC. For general questions, comments or concerns please contact [email protected] --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/junubia-girl-talks/message