At just 24, Evelyn Singizi, known on stage as Nicole Livett the mbira goddess, is turning the mbira into a tool for activism, writing songs that tackle social injustice, women’s rights, mental health and climate change.
Based in Glenview, Harare, Nicole started playing mbira in 2021, but her love for music began much earlier. “I have been writing songs since I was eight,” she said. Inspired by her mother, she chose to use music as more than entertainment, describing it as “a tool you can use to advocate or air out social issues that affect people.”
Her first breakthrough came through Magamba Network’s ‘Voice2Rep’ initiative, where she released ‘Unorema’, a powerful track on social injustice, poverty, mental health and period poverty. “The song is about the struggles the African girl child goes through every day,” she explained. “People came to me saying it helped them reflect on protecting daughters’ rights.”
Nicole’s discography now includes songs like ‘Ndozviripo’, which explores mental health and acceptance, and ‘Zuva Riye’, which speaks about climate change. “As an African artist, you need to be authentic and original,” she said. “I do storytelling through music about my everyday life and the lives of people around me.”
Her socially conscious lyrics have won support from both women and men. “I motivate women to be confident and comfortable in their own skin, telling them they matter. But I also address challenges girls and women face in their everyday lives,” she said.
Nicole admits the stories she sings about often weigh heavily on her. ‘Unorema’ was inspired by cases of sexual violence she had witnessed. “Writing about these issues affects me personally, but I believe I am a vessel of God, used to deliver messages to the people,” she said.
Looking ahead, Nicole plans to release an album titled ‘Outer Space’ and establish an organisation for female creatives, providing training in stage management, photography, videography and production. “I want to build safe spaces where women can create without being violated or silenced,” she said.
Her dream is to take her music global, touring while spreading awareness of the mbira and its cultural value. Her message to leaders is clear: “Let us go back to our roots and preserve our culture through music. Rights for the girl child exist, but they must be implemented fully if we are to create a safe Africa we can all be proud of.”
For Nicole Livett, every mbira note is more than sound, it is a call for justice and hope.