THREE months spent in Nigeria with her parents in 2009 gave Australian-born professional singer Gazele "a connecting experience".
"Usually you go somewhere for a quick holiday but there I settled into the way of life," she said.
Without realising it, there was a piece previously missing from her life, and her visit filled that gap.
Now back in Rockdale where she lives she is about to contribute her entertainment talents at a "creativity" expo this Saturday in Parramatta.
She will headline the event and sing the national anthem, the expo being staged in association with the Community Migrant Resource Centre.
The regular event provides people from diverse backgrounds, especially the young, with the chance to show their talents.
There will be sambas, gospel music, traditional Japanese dance, acrobatics, fashion including the hijab, photography, cooking and craft workshops.
"I like being involved in helping, in voice, for women's freedom," Gazele said.
She likes to spread positive messages.
"I like to encourage young people — music is not as easy a job as people might think, people have to have confidence to get up on stage; you also have to be a business person," Gazele said.
All her songs are in English and she plays some keyboards, "enough to write my songs by".
At 26 she has a bachelor of music degree from the Australian Institute of Music.
Her decision to go by the name of the antelope that sprints elegantly through parts of Africa perhaps pinpoints her flair for focusing on her heritage, but spelling her name "Gazele" instead of "gazelle" was "a conscious decision".
"The name is still unique, different," she said.
The philosophy behind her music is to represent high energy and to provide "feel-good" sounds. She will launch her debut EP called Love Life on June 18 at the Rock Lily, in Star casino at Pyrmont.