“You should always be proud of your art” Ottawa musician Nwar Dorée on why his self-confidence will get him through

Every time Tevin-Klyde Nzamba is in his recording studio, he’s an entirely different person. He is relaxed, calm and collected. Most importantly, he is self-confident, almost like he can take on the world. Whenever he’s in his studio, he feels like a completely new person. That new person is Nwar Dorée.

Born in France with an African background from Gabon and Cameroon, Nzamba spent most of his life in Ottawa, living with his aunt and cousin.

Nwar (noir) Dorée translates to Black Gold in French. He chose that name due to his Black skin color and golden-dyed hair while also paying homage to his French background.

Nzamba used to write for some rappers in Ottawa. After feeling as if some of them were messing up his line deliveries, he took matters into his own hands and started making music himself.

After spending two years practising, experimenting and perfecting his craft, the 26-year-old debuted on the music scene in early 2022 with his first single “Used To Love,” featuring Truly K. In October, he released his second single “Ball Together,” while also performing at Théatre Ste-Catherine in Montreal.

The genres of music he specializes in are R&B, Rap and occasionally French Rap. He prefers to call it “conscious rap” because he sings about “real things.”

“I’m not really a big fan of shootings and the other things most rappers talk about,” Nzamba says. “I love music and I always try to deliver a good message. I think music is the best way to send a message. It has sound and vibration which resonates with you.”

Nzamba believes the best part about making music is the ability to truly express yourself. “It’s so cool being able to bring the ideas you have in your head to life,” he says.

He believes that no matter how it comes out and no matter how it looks, you should always be proud of your art.

Outside of music, one of Nzamba’s biggest passions is football. Before becoming a rapper, his initial dream was to become a professional football player like his father. He played on his high school football team at Franco Cité, as well as in the Ottawa Fury Football Club and was a football instructor at Functional Training Academy.

After graduating high school in 2014, Nzamba returned to his home country of France to continue chasing his dream. While there, he was able to participate in several football clubs. Unfortunately, that dream couldn’t come to fruition due to injuries.

“I know injuries are everyone’s excuse nowadays, but it’s true,” he says.

He has kept his passion for the sport. He still religiously watches football and occasionally plays it with his friends, on the field and virtually.

With his football dream gone, he is now putting his full attention into becoming a musician. His goal is to become independent.

“I don’t believe in signing with a label, I believe in my own power. If you really want something done, you can always do it yourself. I believe my self-confidence, work ethic and dedication to my art will not fail me,” says Nzamba

Self-confidence is very important to Nzamba. He believes you should always be your number one supporter because if you don’t believe in yourself no one else will.

He doesn’t like the word “backup plans” because it sounds like something you came up with after failing in a certain area. To him there’s no such thing as failing, there’s only winning or learning. Everything in life is a lesson to him. “I have a million backup plans that I am currently working on just in case music was not my main source of income,” he says.

As far as his future plans go, with the money he will make from his music he hopes to find a way to be able to help Africa and France. He’s also interested in potentially buying land and getting into the fashion industry, as fashion is another one of his passions.

“I believe in a lot of things. Equality and equity, always being the best possible version of yourself and also doing the right thing. I believe there’s only one race that matters, which is the human race,” he says. “I always try my best to focus on all the positive things and people in my life. They help me stay motivated. I try not to focus on any of the negative things.”

Whether he’s on a football field, in a recording studio or anywhere else, one thing will always remain the same: Nzamba’s attitude. At his core, he will always be a self-confident individual who will try to accomplish his dreams with hard work and dedication.

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