Official Christafari Website - Biography

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Full Name:

Letitia Iona Ugwueke

Birth date:

December 23, 1974

Instrument/role in band:

Vocals

Brief testimony:

Born and raised in a Christian home, I was made to go to church twice a week. And in combination of my upbringing and the Lord's calling on my life, I accepted the Lord at the age of 8. My mother's say that I kept asking her about becoming a Christian and one Wednesday night before church she lead me to the Lord. Yet it wasn't until my college years some 12 years later did I truly began pursuing a relationship with the Lord. It was out of a college-dating relationship, that I was challenged in my beliefs and was asked, "why do you believe what you believe?" Up until that time, I had chosen to believe and follow that things I had learned behaviorally from my family and my surroundings, but I had nothing to back it up with. I began attending a church that preached the Word so clearly and without apology or a watered-down approach. I began to discover truths in the Word of God, the Bible, that I did not know existed. And God has used it for His glory and my better understanding of who He is and what He desires of me "a broken-spirit and a contrite he" Psalms 51

Favorite verse:

2 Peter 3:9, Romans 8:38-39, Psalms 51

Favorite food(s):

Mexican Food, (Thai) Chicken Curry and (Chinese) Mangolian Beef/Walnut Shrimp

Musical influences:

The Winans (any Winans-Bebe and Cece), Andrea Crouch, the Mighty Clouds of Joy, Patti Labelle, Whitney Houston, Anita Baker, Crystal Lewis and my voice teacher-Mrs. Brenda Reinebach

Hobbies:

Singing, playing piano and playing tennis

Brief Bio:

Born and raised in California, Letitia Ugwueke, the middle child of 2 sisters, began singing as a baby. Letitia states, "I used to bump my head against my crib and sing myself to sleep! Her nickname, as a child, became "Deep n Wide", a Sunday School song she sang all the time. In 1993, she attended Mt. San Antonio College, where she performed with the Mt. Sac Singers and the award-winning Madrigals group under the direction of Bruce Rogers. In 1996, she transferred to Azusa Pacific University (APU), as a Vocal Performance Major, where she performed with the Azusa Pacific University Choir and Orchestra "Celebration" small group and traveled the United States and Canada. She can be heard as a soloist/vocalist on their albums: "Our God Is With Us" and "Honor and Praise". In 2001, she began touring with world-renowned , Christian, reggae band "Christafari." She also returned to APU and completed her Masters in Vocal Performance January of 2004. Letitia can be heard on Christafari's "Gravity" and will be touring to 8 different countries the summer of 2004. Letitia began teaching voice in 1996 and will be teaching voice and assisting the APU Gospel choir at APU as an adjunct in the Fall of 2004. She presently resides in Brea, California with her husband of only 3 weeks.

What were the last 5 CDs that you put in your disc changer?:

(Christafari practice CD-hehe!)
The diary of Alicia Keys
Elephant Man
WOW 2001
Eva Cassidy-Songbird
Mary J. Blige-What's the 411

Read any good books lately?:

I am presently reading, "A Woman After God's Own Heat" Elizabeth Elliott (Ladies if you want the truth about singleness and marriage, you have to read this... y¦you will be repenting all over the place .. excellent!)

What's your favorite verse in the Bible and why?:

My favorite Bible verse for the past 4 or 5 years has been 2 Peter 3:9. I am constantly overwhelmed by the love of God and his long-suffering for our repentance and salvation. This verse simply says God is not slack in His promise, as some people think or say, yet he is patiently waiting that none would perish. Wow!

What is your philosophy of stage ministry? Is there any one message that you always want to leave with your audience?:

When I am on stage, whether in a more formal, solo stage atmosphere at church or singing back-up, while dancing with Christafari, I want the audience to know the words that I am singing about. My responsible every time I go on stage is to proclaim Christ to a lost and dying world. If that message is not heard or understood, I have just done a nice performance of entertainment. I always want people to see and hear my heart in every note/lyric I sing. Without Christ in my life, I could never stand and sing to anyone, He has given me strength, confidence and talent to do what I do. I can't imagine a career singing about myself or anything besides what is eternal and that is Jesus Christ the Son of God.

What are the three things you enjoy most about touring? And least?:

The amazing fellowship and enjoyment of my band members. It is the kind of bond that is not always present in a lot of Christian performing bands... LOVE!

I love how I can go to the other side of the world and fellowship with other believers, because we have the natural commonality in Christ. Only because, Christ is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow ... immutable.

And lastly, how many people can say they have been to several different countries to do what they love doing (singing), in one lifetime

What is the best audience that you have ever played in front of?:

My favorite audience was the church in Holland (Utrecht), the one with the best dancers we've ever seen during our dance competition. They also gave us great food in the kitchen afterward. Our dressing room was a Sunday School classroom.