BIO – BARBARA TAH GWANMESIA

Barbara Gwanmesia is one of a small group of artists and academics who have managed to gain a following in two independent fields: writing and singing. Born in Cameroon, Barbara took to singing and writing instinctively – settling in the Netherlands as a researcher, writer, editor and singer. Her almost fanatical focus on reverence for life has led to the use of her music, writing and research as instruments of hope and opportunity for herself and others.

AS A SINGER

Almost unobserved, Barbara Gwanmesia has quietly grown on audiences around the world, turning unsuspecting heavyweights like New York’s Deep-House legend Jephte Guillaume and South Africa’s parliamentarian Alan Winde into instant fans. When Archbishop Desmond Tutu, along with an audience of over 1300 listeners in the Dutch city of Deventer, rose emotionally to her A-capella delivery of How Great Thou Art, Barbara’s fan base moved from musical legends, political bigwigs, business and corporate leaders to Nobel laureates. With Acapella renditions that slide from dramatic depths of longing to vast realms of delight, Barbara fuses lyrical dialectics unimaginable to the ear never once exposed to the croon of her voice. Born in Cameroon at a time when South Africa’s Makeba and Mali’s Keita were making their marks on different levels, Barbara grew up soaked in both artists’ expansive range. But it would be Makeba’s use of music to inform, empower and educate that set the bar for Barbara – placing music’s relevance for her far beyond the arts. With a voice variously described as “Golden”, “Healing”, “Sensual” and “Dramatic”, Barbara has sung for ambassadors, mayors, national political leaders, heads of industry and a varied public.

AS A WRITER

Barbara Tah Gwanmesia began writing at the age of 12, producing stories that resulted in her award- winning first Novel Vasona’s Secret. In the course of the years, Barbara has written poetry, syndicated columns and books. Her first non-fiction is a real life legal thriller with a foreword by Holland’s most illustrious crime reporter Peter R De Vries. The book will be published in the Spring of 2015 by world renown Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke’s Dutch publishers ‘Galilee’.

RESEARCHER AND MAGAZINE EDITOR

As a researcher, Barbara is responsible for one of the most important studies on the social and economic

significance of migrant churches in the city of Rotterdam. Her research work has led to many city-wide discussions on the issue, but most importantly, to her understanding of the lives and challenges of migrant women in the Netherlands. The result has been the creation of the first magazine in mainland Europe, but particularly in the Netherlands, for black African women. Due to experience borne in the creation of that magazine, Barbara is working now towards the birth of a broader, Europe-based magazine.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: CAMEROON

COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: THE NETHERLANDS

OCCUPATION: WRITER, SINGER, EDITOR & PUBLISHER

CONTACT DETAILS: barbaragwanmesiata@gmail.com