A music artist from the Valleys has been selected to showcase her music in the World Cup as one of the UK's greats. Kima Otung's music will be played in front of thousands of fans who visit The Garden of Great in Doha which was opened by David Beckham last week.
The pop and R&B artist from Pontypridd couldn't believe she was selected to represent UK music for the UK's Great Campaign, supported by the British Council UK and Wales Arts International. As a Welsh football supporter, she said it is a huge moment for her to represent Wales the same year they make their first World Cup appearance in 64 years.
She said: "I feel like Wales are the underdogs in the competition, they are such a small country competing against teams from around the world. I feel like I'm on the same journey as them, being from Pontypridd and being chosen to represent the UK in this way."
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The 31-year-old's song, New New, was premiered at the World Cup and has been released as a single. The song was written by Kima and produced by Soul Plus Mind. Sadly Kima couldn't go to Qatar for the premiere but she is incredibly proud that the first place her single was played was in Doha.
"There are so many people from all over the world there, and they get to visit this garden where there's a plaque that tells a little about me and they can play my song there. Obviously I'm incredibly sad I can't be there myself but I've been told the response to my song has been great."
Kima was raised in Pontypridd by Nigerian parents and first discovered her love of music when she was 14 and a member of the Welsh National Opera. She said: "I could remember thinking wow all these people are so talented and I get to be here. So I've had an amazing love of music since."
However she said her family encouraged her to follow a more traditional route so she went to university to study law and went on to complete a corporate law training contract. While working the demanding hours that come with it, she decided she couldn't give up on her love of music for a career in law.
Since then her music has been played on Love Island a number of times, and made it into Shazam's top five after so many people watching the show searched for the song.
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