Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: I was born and raised in East London, South Africa. From a young age I loved music and it’s ability to communicate wonderful and difficult truths. I read a quote recently that made me reliaze “the why” for my desire to write songs, “If life was fair there wouldn’t be as much art.”
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: Always Bob Dylan, Silicone Boone, Bruce Springsteen, Gregory Alan Isakov, Jeffrey Martin, Last Year’s Man
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences?
A: Cat Stevens, Simon and Garfunkel, Miriam Makeba, Johnny Clegg, The Beatles
Q: Is there a story behind your song, “Mzansi Afrika”?
A: Mzansi Afrika is my tribute to the country of my birth.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: I’m working on my first full length album and hoping to release it towards the middle/end of 2023.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: I’d hope listeners would say that they get a real sense of story when listening to my music. I would consider my sound indie-folk, giving a nod to the sounds of past and future folk/singer-songwriters.
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: I love what Kurt Vonnegut says, “Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake.” I resonate deeply with that quote regarding creating music and fulfillment.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: I usually begin with an idea, a concept. After that I find a melody by strumming on the guitar or playing on the piano. Once I have a melody that fits the concept I have, I begin drafting lyrics. I usually go through 3-4 drafts of lyrics by the time the song is finished.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: I think the hardest thing for an artist these days is to not give into the metrics game, always comparing oneself to others, always checking/chasing stats. The other thing is the dreaded curse of social media and how much time one has to put into it to ensure one’s music is being heard.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: I’ve had several touching messages from strangers around the world about my songs; how my music has affected them, helped them, moved them. These are my proudest moments by far.
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