We’re lucky to catch up with Keba Williams, a very busy and burgeoning musical talent. In the ten years since Keba graduated from BAHS and migrated to Florida, she earned Bachelor degrees in Chemistry and Music, Cum Laude, became a regular R&B/Soul singer in Miami, established her own music production company, invested in her own recording studio, and launched a women's empowerment seminar series. Keba performed at The 2015 Tobago Jazz Experience, and despite having shared a stage with an outstanding array of artists, before thousands of local, regional and international visitors, Keba remains a modest, quintessential Hilarian. She mused, “before I went on stage, my mom prayed with me. Then a hymn, ‘There’s a Sweet, Sweet Spirit in this place’ came to mind, with the image of us all [BAHS students] in uniforms and standing in the assembly hall, holding our teal song books and singing together.”
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| Keba performing at 2015 Tobago Jazz Experience |
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| Keba performing at 2015 Tobago Jazz Experience |
Music has been a constant in Keba’s life; she played the piano as a child, played the clarinet, steelpan and sang in the BAHS choir as a teenager. She even has some national musical competition titles under her belt! Reminiscing on ‘BAHS days’, Keba shared that Ms. Granderson offered her opportunities to sing solo, but overcome by shyness, she declined. Bashfulness was only one hurdle Keba would grow to overcome in her musical career. In a family of doctors, it was no small feat for Keba to gain support in making music her full-time career. The passing of Yvonne Ramsey, beloved former principal of BAHS and Keba’s aunt/godmother, was pivotal in Keba’s trajectory. At Ms. Ramsey’s funeral, Keba performed ‘The Greatest Love of All” alongside her cousins, and she made the decision to explore the possibilities of her dream.
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| “Life is unpredictable. If you’re drawn to something, it’s worth following through.” - Keba Williams |
When asked about her sources of inspiration, Keba mentioned Anita Baker’s electric performance style, Esperanza Spalding’s Afro-Latin jazz and bass violin music, along with indie-alternative and contemporary Hip-Hop music. Keba’s debut album, entitled Wildfire (2013) is a fusion of R&B, Soul and Funk. The intro track, “Let it be” was the first song Keba wrote, produced and recorded.
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| Keba (right) presenting Dr. Marcie Washington with a certificate and token of appreciation for being a panelist in the very first Women Untold Seminar: Against ALL Odds |
Keba shared launched an annual seminar series, Women Untold in January 2015. The series is geared towards celebrating young women from all cultures and backgrounds and helping them realize their full potential, just as Keba was able to overcome obstacles in her own trajectory. Her goal with Women Untold is to open doors for collegiate women who can benefit from the mentorship and leadership of women who have already made great strides in their careers. Keba believes in empowering others and in the power of intention; she’s had a vision board since 2011, when she first began working with producer Erik Nunez. She explained, “There is something about writing your goals on paper…when I want something, I just write it down”. This practice has worked well for Keba, and she envisions continued growth as a musical artist and composer, along with a foray into the fashion industry!
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