By Rinelda Mouton
Ben Kandukira, popularly known as Big Ben said his eighth studio album ‘Venaue’ is an intentional retreat into the roots of modern Namibian music, especially folks music.
He said in the album he is talking about everyday folk stories, fears, concerns, hope and believe.
The artist born in Omutiuanduko last major release was in 2024.
He said since then, has been on deep research rather than rushing to meet a release calendar.
Big Ben said ‘Venaue’ took months of intense pre-production, transcription, and studio work.
“Musically, it is built on the rhythmic and vocal foundations of the OvaHerero language with a few other Namibian languages and English. The album titled in Otjiherero, translates to “with whom are they?” or “who are they with?” in English. At a deeper level, it is also my original and authentic name. Venaue is the name I was given at the Holy Fire and it is registered with the Ancestors,” Big Ben said.
The performing artist said the album is compiled for the contemporary audience with care to draw both young and adult especially those with the interest to not only listen but understand. He said the album balances guitars, heavy percussion, and raw and complex vocal performance with modern studio production.
He further emphasizes that the album is less about chasing passing commercial trends and more about establishing a definitive lane for Big Ben.
“To me this project is a responsibility. After years in the industry, you realize that modern music moves fast, and if we do not intentionally anchor our sounds in our own stories and realities we will eventually lose the depth of our musical heritage. It represents a bridge between the old and the new. It is a reflective question about alignment, identity, and community. It challenges the listener to think about who stands with them and whom do they stand for,” he added.
Big Ben said working on the album is finally where he internalized and released exactly what he want without worrying what the rest of the music scene is trending towards.
The ‘moro, moro’ hitmaker said his previous work often leaned into a broader, more commercial Afro-pop and fusion sound designed for instant radio appeal and festival stages – while ‘Venauṋe’ takes a harder, more uncompromising turn toward roots and creative expression.
‘The change is not by accident but a conscious choice. I chose to step away and tell stories, recite the poetry of our people and to release the music that demands you sit down, listen, and engage with the story. I want the public to take away a sense of cultural pride and an appreciation for the complexity of our indigenous sounds, languages and stories. For the younger generation of artists, I hope they see that you do not have to mimic foreign genres and content to be modern or sophisticated”.
Big Ben said the lead track ‘Venauṋe’ directly addresses the album’s core theme of community and identity. He said the song is a complaint about his own experience in Namibian music.
“The song is about how I experienced being intentionally ignored and sidelined and connived against by fellow artists who believe that in order to be seen, nobody else should be seen. Most importantly it is a statement on being grounded in roots, tradition, morals and principles.”
Big Ben said he wrote ‘Opuwo’ in 2024 after performances in the USA and UK where he spent time with Africans in the diaspora, especially Namibians, listening to their stories, fears, hopes and dreams. He said the song is about not giving up and keeping on pushing forward despite the hardship in strange countries.
