Karen Mukupa spent most of her youth living back and forth between two continents until finally settling in Denmark. Music has always been her dream, and this she conveyed to her family at a young age. By the 90’s, Karen became one half of the Danish reggae/hip hop duo “No Name Requested”, alongside the late Natasja Saad, who died in 2007 in a traffic accident. Though the duo never released a full album, their singles achieved critical success in the Danish music scene. Mukupa broke away from “No Name Requested” with the release of her first solo album in 2000, followed by the release of her second album in 2002.

Alongside establishing her solo career, Mukupa has opened up for international acts like Queen Latifah, Destiny’s Child, and A Tribe Called Quest. Her live performances are describes as eccentric, energetic and powerful. She shines brightly on the stage and knows exactly how to entertain an audience.

After a long break from music, Karen returned with her highly anticipated third album “Dreamer” in 2010. The new release is described as having a unique mix of reggae, Latin, Afro beats, hip hop and r&b. The album is very diverse and Karen does exceptionally well in promoting that concept. In January 2010, honoring the life of her friend and fellow member of “No Name Requested”, Mukupa wrote a book about Natasja Saad’s life and career. The book included a gallery of graffiti pieces made by fans and friends after the singer’s passing.

Karen is also an activist well involved with social work for Amnesty International and Danida, where she helps to promote human rights and the establishment of better living conditions in underdeveloped countries. She’s a talented artist with a wonderful personality and that is one of the reasons why I’m a fan of this woman. Check out her performance of “Dreamer” below:

video credit: AlruneRod2811

info courtesy of karenmukupa