Justina Lee Brown: “Africa lives within me”

Justina Lee Brown is a Nigerian-born artist who has lived in Switzerland for many years. After winning the Swiss Blues Challenge in 2019, she became the first African woman to receive a Swiss Blues Music Award in 2024. She now performs on some of Europe’s biggest stages.

At the Cahors Blues Festival on July 10, 2026, she was a natural fit for a line-up dedicated to women. Superb backing from four outstanding musicians helped her deliver the kind of breathtaking show we love, one that makes you feel the artist is giving everything, body and soul. Moving between emotion and cries of protest, she served up a universal, deeply blended form of blues shaped by her many influences: traditional African rhythms, Afrobeat, gospel, soul, funk, blues and rock. Between songs, she took the time to share her values and explain some of her lyrics, which speak of universal love and faith while denouncing injustice, particularly violence against women.

She kindly agreed to answer a few questions about her artistic journey for Blues Actu.

🎙️ Justina Lee Brown interviewed by Sylvie Déclas

Justina, you were born in Nigeria and grew up in the Lagos ghetto, raised by a single mother. Were you able to continue your education after primary school? If not, do you regret it?

Yes. Although it was not easy, I am grateful to have received an education.

I read that you discovered people liked your singing while you were selling water at a market. How old were you?

I do not really remember how old I was, but I was very young. Sometimes the craziest situations bring about good things.

How did you learn music and singing? Do you play an instrument? When did you decide to make music your career? What other profession might you have pursued?

I never learned how to make music. It was rooted in me. It was natural, and it flowed just as naturally whenever I opened my mouth. Music cannot be learned; it is a gift from God. I quickly realised that this was the path I had to follow because, although it emerged from the need to survive, it also came very easily to me. When I was young, people would often tip me when I sang, which encouraged me to sing more. If I had not become a singer, I would have become a lawyer.

What are your main musical influences, and how did you discover them? Were there musicians around you in Nigeria?

Like many people, my first musical influence came from the church. I was in the choir and, of course, my home country, Nigeria, is overflowing with musical talent, so it was everywhere. I grew up listening to Nigerian legends such as Ebenezer Obey and King Sunny Adé, as well as other great artists including Brenda Fassie, Miriam Makeba, Anita Baker and Aretha Franklin.

My surroundings were also steeped in highlife music and the Afrobeat of the legendary Fela Kuti. These sounds, especially the saxophone and keyboard, sparked my love of jazz, funk, blues and soul. All those notes resonated within me without my even realising it. However, when I first arrived in Europe and saw a real blues band on stage, everything came alive, and I knew this was the path I had to follow.

Highlife emerged in Ghana and Sierra Leone in the early twentieth century, born from the fusion of American jazz rhythms and a multitude of traditional African musical styles. Originally, dance orchestras played this music to entertain the colonial elite in upscale coastal clubs, hence the name “highlife.”

When you took part in the Nokia First Chance Challenge in 2006, were you only a singer? Did you choose the singles recorded at the time? When did you start writing and composing your own songs for your first album, A Touch of Blues?

I was already a singer before taking part in the Nokia Challenge. I was already well known in Nigeria, but the Nokia Challenge gave me greater exposure. I followed it up with a second single called Omo Too Sexy, which made me famous in West Africa. However, I later changed direction: I moved away from the mainstream pop demanded by the industry and society and turned towards blues and soul, genres that were more in keeping with my aspirations and personal fulfilment. That was when I began learning how to compose music that reflected what I felt deep inside.

Was it your trip to Switzerland in 2005 or the Nokia Challenge that changed your life? Did you feel welcome in Switzerland? Did it take you a long time to succeed in doing what you truly wanted?

My career as a pop artist had already begun and was flourishing in Nigeria. The Nokia competition gave it fresh momentum, while my arrival in Switzerland marked the beginning of my journey as a blues, funk, soul and jazz artist.

How did the idea of creating a foundation to help the most disadvantaged children in Nigeria come about? Had you thought about it before becoming successful?

I was already running my foundation before I became a star. Contributing to society’s well-being is especially important to me because of my humble background. I had always promised myself that, when I was older and earning enough money, I would share it with those in need. That is a philosophy I continue to follow today.

This is your second appearance at the Cahors Blues Festival. How do you feel, and what do you think of this edition dedicated to female talent, which encourages donations for women who have experienced violence?

It was an immense privilege to be invited to this festival for the second time. My first appearance gave me my first opportunity to perform on a major stage in Europe. From that point on, many people became interested in my music and wanted to hear more. I am therefore grateful to the Cahors Blues Festival for giving me that opportunity so many years ago, and I was very happy to return.

And yes, celebrating and supporting women is a wonderful idea.

“My music is intended to spread positivity”

What are your songs about? Do you write all of them?

Yes, I write all my music, and it is mainly about life itself. My experiences, emotions and feelings are reflected in it, and my music is intended to spread positivity.

You frequently speak about God. Where does your faith come from, and do you think it is connected to the artist you are?

My faith comes from God Most High! I was born a Christian, but I must say that I do not fully agree with everything the Christian religion does. However, I believe in God, I believe in Jesus, and I believe in the Supreme Power! And we are all strengthened by a power beyond human control.

How do you choose your musicians? Are they the same on tour and in the studio? How do you work together? Is it easy for them to immerse themselves in your musical world without sharing your African roots?

I place paramount importance on technical mastery. It is the first and most important criterion I consider when choosing musicians. The musicians currently touring with me have worked with me for two years, since I stopped collaborating with my former band. However, one member of the previous line-up, David, is part of the new band. He is a true friend and a loyal musician; we have worked together for more than 13 years. He helped me put this new team of musicians together because I was pregnant. And yes, I record with the same musicians who tour with me.

Would you like to collaborate with other artists? Which ones?

Yes, I love collaborating with other artists. For my African-influenced album Echoes of Home, released in November 2025, I collaborated on the track Dariji with Moelogo, a very talented Nigerian Afro-soul artist based in London. A new single will also be released soon; we have just finished producing it in Paris with the legendary Keziah Jones.

Do you know any of the other artists performing at the festival?

Yes, I know one of the girls from the United States, Ghalia Volt.

What is your best memory of performing on stage so far?

I do not really have a “best” memory on stage. I always leave with a full heart after every performance.

You have won several music awards. Do you enjoy competition, and what is your view of talent competitions?

My career did not begin with competitions, but yes, I have taken part in two music contests over the course of my journey. Most of the time, it was not my decision, but the people around me wanted me to participate. Deep down, I do not like competition because I do not think we should be competing against one another. On the other hand, challenges can also be good catalysts for revealing what lies within us.

Your latest album marks a change in musical style. Does it express nostalgia for Nigeria and your roots? Did motherhood play a part?

Echoes of Home is an album dedicated to my roots because it is time for me to give back to the society I come from for everything it has given me. More than twenty years have passed since the release of my last Afro-influenced album. My roots and my culture were calling to me from deep within. That is where my origins lie, and it is the music I grew up with. My musical style has not changed because it reflects who I am: I am an African woman, a Nigerian artist who blends Afro-funk, soul, blues and jazz.

Do you sometimes return to Nigeria, and do you think you could live there again? What do you think of your home country?

I have not been home for six years, and that really saddens me because I used to go back every year. But I have not been able to do so recently. Music and life on tour have not been easy; they have not really given me the opportunity to go home and spend time there. But things will change soon because I now have another son, and I must take him to the land of his roots so that he knows where he comes from. So yes, I will visit my family soon.

I miss my people, my land, my culture and, above all, my food because, deep down, I am a true African woman.

Website: justinaleebrown.com