By Zimiso Geoffrey Nyamande
There is beauty in Art. Something about it that keeps you glued to your seat. Such that at times you have an awakening. To only realize, you have been in a trance. A good one. One such medium of art is poetry. When words are cohesively weaved together, they are sure to leave an imprint on you. More so, if the artist in question is none other than Kuda Rice. An artist whose words are not only put together beautifully, but are well crafted to convey meaning.
Kuda Rice is a Zimbabwean storyteller and performance artist. His storytelling is mainly portrayed through poetry and spoken word. This has transformed to not only be expressed through words, but also through visuals and fashion.
In 2022, he released his debut ep, Beneath the Veil. A spoken word project, where he explores themes such as spirituality and seeks to uncover what people conceal within their hearts, what he terms, Veil. On the project, Kuda questions the listener, " who are you without the mask?" An advocacy, perhaps to empower the listener to not compromise who they truly are as he says " compromise poisons the roots."
The project established him as a force to reckon with, in the industry. And paved the way for him in music as he has appeared in various projects since. Notably, it earned him an appearance on Takura's King of Hearts intro and Bryan K's Grace.
Zimiso Nyamande (ZN) sits down with Kuda Rice (KR) for an exclusive interview.
ZN: You are a poet and a model. How did the two come along?
KR: Poetry has always been there as my first artistic medium. I’ve always been fascinated by storytelling that can be done through weaving words together. I then extended myself into visual storytelling by fusing my work with photography and collaborating with photographers to visually depict my poems. As I was doing this, I never viewed myself as a model; it was only recently (as of 2023) that I fully embraced that side and saw myself as a model. From then on, I began to work more with fashion brands, modelling for them.
ZN: How do you balance the two?
KR: I never struggle with balancing because the two don’t demand that I stretch myself in completely different directions. Because, at my core, I am a storyteller, I see both of these as mediums for exactly that: storytelling. In one space, I am doing that through words, and in the other space, I am doing that by showcasing the stories of fashion brands and designers.
ZN: When crafting poems, what message do you relay to your audience?
KR: My poetry is largely influenced by my beliefs, and I speak a lot about my faith, the struggles I have with it, the questions I have, and my experiences with it. The other main thing I speak about are societal issues that are present in our environment. These may be issues that have directly affected my life or issues that I have seen affecting other people within my community. Overall, the message is about my experiences of life and all that exists in its different spheres, as well as other people’s experiences of life.
ZN: On the modelling side, which collaborations have been your highlights?
KR: My main highlight has been the wonderful collaborative work I have done with Fungai Muzoroza. I enjoyed modelling for her brand, which involved putting together fashion exhibitions and showcases that had poetry, fashion, and music all in one show.
ZN: In 2022, you released your debut EP, Beneath the Veil. What was it like crafting that project, and what impact did it have on you as a wordsmith?
KR: “Beneath the Veil” was such a special project for me. It is something that I have already planned to work on. When I finally got the chance to do it, through the funding of the British Council, it was a surreal moment. I enjoyed being able to write and come together with musicians to create a combination of the two art forms. The impact of the project was immense, as it ushered me into different spaces that I did not previously have access to. It further helped me grow as an artist and also extended my network as I managed to work with artists from other industries, such as music production and film production.
ZN: What events in your life have influenced your journey as an artist?
KR: One event I can speak so much about is 1ZWI POETRY JAM OPEN MIC IN 2017. This event sparked my journey as a spoken word artist, which then led to my growing generally as an artist. The event introduced me to a platform that became significant to my journey because it gave me enough confidence to perform my work and to grow my work.
ZN: You are featured on Takura's album, King of Heart. Can you explain the significance of that collaboration?
KR: The collaboration with Takura helped to extend my network as an artist. It was a fascinating experience to work with a commercial artist who saw value in my creative work. This significantly boosted my confidence in myself; it boosted my reach and opened up my mind to the other markets that I can tap into as a writer and poet.
ZN: As a model, how important are visuals in presenting the brand's message?
KR: Visuals help you showcase your brand's image, goals, and objectives to an audience. The message becomes clear to the audience once they see a visual depiction of the brand. With the visuals, it becomes easier for you to then be able to sell whatever products you are selling.
ZN: What advice would you share with someone trying to follow in your footsteps as a poet?
KR: Write your story and nobody else’s story. The main focus shouldn’t be on becoming the best storyteller, but the target should be to become the best at telling your story. That is the best way to achieve a sense of authenticity.
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