Beldina Odenyo Onassis (30 August 1990 – 5 November 2021), also known as Heir of the Cursed, was a Kenyan-born Scottish musician, singer, poet and writer. [1]
Onassis was born in Kenya on 30 August 1990, [2] before moving with her family to Lockerbie in Scotland when she was a child. Her obituary in the British newspaper The Times describes her as 'Kenyan-Scottish'. [2]
Onassis previously performed under the name Genesee. She worked mostly in Glasgow and was named one of Scotland’s 30 most inspiring women under 30. [3] [4]
She worked with the National Theatre of Scotland [5] [6] on Lament for Sheku Bayoh [7] and with the all-female songwriting collective Hen Hoose. [8]
A regular performer at Celtic Connections Festival, she won the Danny Kyle award. [4]
Onassis died on 5 November 2021, at the age of 31. [3] [9]
- ^ "Beldina Odenyo Onassis: Tributes flood in following death of acclaimed Glasgow musician and theatremaker". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Beldina Odenyo Onassis obituary". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 24 November 2021.(subscription required)
- ^ a b "Tributes paid after death of Scottish artist Heir Of The Cursed". NME. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ a b "30 Under 30: Beldina Odenyo - YWCA Scotland | The Young Women's Movement". www.ywcascotland.org. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ "Beldina Odenyo". National Theatre of Scotland. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ "Heir of the Cursed – 'I'm just trying to tell the most honest stories and leave myself open to receive them'". The List. 11 June 2018. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ "EIF theatre review: Lament for Sheku Bayoh". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ "Home". Hen Hoose. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ Nachiappan, Arthi. "Heir of the Cursed: tributes to singer, 31, who died on album day". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 9 November 2021.