Mental Health Series: Mufaro In The Spotlight

“Creativity takes courage.” – Henri Matisse

Creativity can be healing, people with mood disorders, anxiety or depression can instinctively turn to art to help themselves cope or heal. We continue the interview series and the fight to raise mental health awareness.  Meet our second guest, Mufaro take it away!

My name is Mufaro Chifamba, I am a multi-faceted creative, passionate about using music, media, and all forms of creative arts to shape and transform Africa and the world at large. My mantle is creating platforms for creative artists to express their unique gift, while creating commercial opportunities for art to thrive. I am a music and creative producer, songwriter, A&R executive and creative consultant. I serve as CEO of New Rivers Group Ltd, which is a start up global Kingdom Culture based music-driven multimedia enterprise. I am the editor of Thoughts of A Creative Leader, a blog dedicated to influencing creative culture. I am also passionate about improving artistic industries and communities, creating value by solving problems, streamlining systems, and responding to unmet needs. He is also a passionate communicator, mantling to profess the beauty, brilliance and complexities of our God to this broken world. 

How do you describe your craft as part of you, you born with it or it your escape?

I would say I was born with it. At times it can be an escape in the hardest of times or in conflict.

Please share your mental health story, how do you cope as a creative? Do you ever feel stuck being yourself when creating and trying to fit in the world? What weighs you down as a creative?

When it comes to my mental health journey, I have most definitely battled depression in the process, as well as, anxiety. Being a creative is high pressure and requires so much mental strength. I have been in situations where I've second guessed myself especially when the art I would have created was not received as I would have hoped. I used to feel stuck but I have learnt to be consistent in creating from an authentic and honest place. What weighs me down as a creative sometimes is a lack of support and at times the overwhelming volume of the work. 

How do you take care of your mental health?

I've learnt the art of processing what I am going through as a creative through writing it down, talking to my close circle, venting to myself at times and more importantly prayer 🙏🏼.

Has last year’s hardships changed your creatives’ relationship with their work and their sense of self?

 I would say it has to some extent. 

Does daily life as a creative give you any anxiety, the tight deadlines and dealing with different characters?

Sometimes it does, it is high pressure and it takes on alot of mental strength. Sometimes I overthink, which does not always help but I am definitely working on it.

Do you you ever feel disconnected with your work and do you think the odds of mental health issues are higher on creatives.

Sometimes I do and Oh yes they are. Very much so. As I have mentioned it takes alot of mental strength, so there is always alot of pressure to produce art of a high standard and to also innovate, so it does increase the odds.

Have you visited a mental health professional and what are your sentiments around that?

I am yet to. I am open to it however. I think it's important to have someone guide another in these matters.