“I am the kind of person who doesn’t stop till I get what I want and I will strive to my best abilities to keep my fans happy”

STELLA is one of the many impressionable artists of the Namibian music breeds, but an individual in her own right. She is praised for her wildly inventive presentations in music and respected for her down-to-earth personality. With her grace, beauty, charm, and gift for entertaining, STELLA has become a bona fide star and a Namibian music icon.

Born STELLA MARIE TJAZUKO KAVENDJII on the 25th of July in Omaruru and influenced by the likes of the late South African songstress Brenda Fassie and country music legend, Dolly Parton, STELLA set her heart on music. With a strong desire to become a successful musician, she joined her high school choir and also took part in local music talent shows., a persistent drive that ultimately lead to a break-through in her musical career. While participating in the popular national Tafel Lager Open Mic competition, she was approached by her longtime producer, Steven !Naruseb, with an idea of helping her to release her own album. She was later introduced to Phura, another talented and acclaimed artist and the two started performing together.

STELLA released her debut album, titled “Kapepo” in April 2004, which received major media exposure with substantial public response and making the album title track “Kapepo” an instant anthem. The success of the album grant her a nomination in the best afro-pop category of the 2004 Sanlam/NBC Music Awards followed by an acclaimed nomination in the Best Female Artist: Southern African category of the 2005 Kora African Awards. In 2006, STELLA returned with her 2nd album “Okurama Kwe Temba” under the stewardship of Steven !Naruseb. In the same year an invitation was extended to her to record songs with Allan Auriant, 2005 Kora African Award 2005 Kora African winner of the Best Male Artist: East Africa category. In addition, the Nelson Mandela Centre for African Culture, a parastatal body operating under the agency of the Ministry of Arts and Culture in Mauritius (and whose core objective is to preserve and promote African culture in Mauritius), invited STELLA to be the guest artist during the country’s African Day Celebrations. These achievements offered STELLA continental exposure, and also gained her recognition as a true Namibian music ambassador.

The acclaim of “Okurama Kwe Temba” pulled through 2007 and the title track earned STELLA a nomination in the Best Afro-pop category of the December 2007 Sanlam NBC Music Awards. And again the same album earned her two nominations in the Ongwediva Namibian music awards, 3rd May 2008 in the categories of Best People’s choice and Best Oviritje. And again in the same year she and her crew members of the Welwitschia Music Productions wrote the Namibian Aids Testing day song.

Her third album titled “Uaripi” has been dropped on the 5th of December 2008 and is very much in demand. And to prove her achievements STELLA has been the chosen one to represent Namibia at the MMINO MUSIC MIX FESTIVAL IN DURBAN FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA on the 24 & 25 SEPTEMBER 2009 after a live band performance audition has been held at the NATIONAL THEATRE OF NAMIBIA (NT NATIONAL N).At this event STELLA shared the stage with big well known artist around Southern Africa namely Oliver Mtukudzi, Hugh Masekela, Ray Phiri, Johnny Clegg, Ladysmith Black Mambaso, Sangomotha and many more. This album has been nominated in two categories at the Sanlam and NBC music awards 2009 (Best House and Best kwasa kwasa). She also took part in The Last Band Standing Competition held at National  National  of Namibia, 2011. She then took part in a production called A Sistah Thang Divas Night Out, that was organised by the National Theatre Of Namibia. This was a contribution to the annual Women Summit in August, 2011 alongside other top Namibian Female Artists and Guest Artist, Prudence Katomene- Mbofana from Zimbabwe.

She released her Forth album titled Tjiuhendjivanga Ndjesa end of August 2011 that was launched on the 24th of December at Swakopmund 2011 .This album has earned her two nominations in two categories in the Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMA’s) 2012 (best soukous/kwasa) &best female artist of the year). Stella did a charity show in December 2012 for the people with disabilities that was held by the municipality of Swakopmund to congratulate Johanna Benson on her achievement.

STELLA released her Fifth album titled Motherless Child on the fifth of Nov 2012. This album was recorded at Welwitschia Music Productions by Steven !Naruseb. This album earned her four nominations in the Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMA’s) 2013 (Best Female artist of the year, Best Oviritje, Best damara punch and Best gospel). She collaborated two tracks with Jimmy from Malawi. One of the songs won an award in the Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMA) 2014 for BEST NONE-ALBUM SINGLE song titled “God will Fight my battles”. STELLA was one of the artist that wrote the song for the SOUTHERN AFRICAN INTER MUNICIPAL GAMES that were held end of September 2013 in Swakopmund. STELLA made a jingle for Pamtengo Radio that’s based in Botswana for the program of Dalom Queen that’s promoting Southern African music in London. Stella went on and released her sixth album titled LOVE HAS AN OWNER in June 2015. Stella also performed at the Old School Jive concert held by Patty’s Heart foundation on the 4th of October 2019. She was awarded for her contribution towards humanity and building the Namibian Nation at the Awards held at the Windhoek Country Club on the 2nd of October 2019 by Patty’s Heart Foundation.

After taking a break from the music scene, STELLA is now working on her Seventh Album to be released in December 2020.

She has currently recorded a new single titled “Baby I need you” featured by Genesa who is based in Germany. Her latest performance was at the Swakopmund Amphitheatre, at the Welwitschia Music Productions Social Responsibility Day, under the theme “Let’s do it the Namibian way”. At this event, they gave out school stationery for “back to school” to the less-privileged kids in the town of Swakopmund, with the

core-message being “LOVE YOURSELF, BE YOURSELF, NAMIBIA” The school-going youth were given the opportunity to showcase their raw Namibian talent, exposing a large variety of young poets, singers, dancers, comedians, and public speakers, just to remind kids that you can always succeed in life, and don’t need to be academically gifted to make it in life. You can also use your raw talent or be artistically successful in life.

STELLA’S INTERNATIONAL ACHIVEMENTS

1: December 2005

STELLA has been nominated in the category for Best Female Artist: Southern Africa of the 2005 Kora All African Awards. At this event STELLA was one of the artists that performed with a live band.

2: 25 & 26 MAY 2006

An invitation was extended to her to record songs with Allan Auriant, 2005 Kora African Award winner of the Best Male Artist: East Africa category. In addition, the Nelson Mandela Centre for African Culture, a parastatal body operating under the agents of the Ministry of Arts and Culture in Mauritius (and whose core objective is to preserve and promote African culture in Mauritius), invited STELLA to be the guest artist during the country’s African Day Celebrations, where she represented Namibia. (She performed live with a Mauritian band)