Tanzanian ‘My Number One’ hitmaker Diamond
Platinumz made an appearance on Coke Studio
Africa this past weekend. We had the chance to
catch up with him and talk to him about his
music and his style.
Here’s what he had to share:
What inspired the name Diamond?
The name Diamond really started as a joke while
I was singing in Wasafi before I became famous.
In the beginning, I didn’t like the name and I
would get annoyed every time I was referred to
as Diamond. As a musician it can be a bit
difficult to change your name last minute.
Getting people used to your new name is an
uphill task that I wasn’t ready to undertake.
Since the name had stuck and I already had a
large fan base that knew me as Diamond, I
decided to maintain it.
How would you describe your music?
I describe my music as Bongo Flava. It’s a
mixture of Afro Pop, R&B, hip hop and Arabic
flavor.
What inspires your music?
I get my inspiration from the society and through
my own life experiences.
Which musician inspires you and why?
I am inspired by Usher Raymond because of his
undeniable vocal prowess and his breathtaking
performances. Usher started singing at a tender
age and despite the changing times, he has
managed to retain his place as one of the
greatest R&B musicians of all time. Usher is one
guy I would like to collaborate with in the near
future.
You are an award winning musician, how does
that feel?
It feels great! I mean it shows that my fans
appreciate what I am doing. I spend a lot of time
in the studio with the hope of producing hit
songs. The more I get awarded, the more
pressure I get to remain relevant in the ever
changing music industry. You know music is
very dynamic, what was cool or hot last year is
obviously not this year. I always ensure I stay
abreast with the new music trends. Perhaps that
is the reason I always scoop various awards.
What’s your biggest achievement?
I have achieved a lot! I thank God for my
success so far, it wasn’t easy. Despite the fact
that my mother can take care of herself, just
being able to cater for her expenses on her
behalf brings me great joy. I consider that as my
biggest achievement. A lot of people make it and
forget where they came from but not me, the
place my mother holds can never be taken over
by fame, money or my music career in general.
Tell me a bit more about your mother
Singing is one of the most fulfilling ways I
express myself, and my mother had the
necessary starting tools to help me. I started
singing at tender age like Usher (laughs), and if
my memory serves me right I remember I was in
class five and by then. I couldn’t write my own
lyrics therefore I would do an impression of some
songs and practice repeatedly until I got the
lyrics right. However my mother saw the talent
in me and eventually she started writing lyrics
for me. She always encouraged me to open my
mouth in front of others and sing. It seems
obvious but it takes a lot of courage, enormous
desire and passion to sing in public. My mother
instilled all the necessary requirements I needed
to succeed in the music industry in Tanzania.
She has played a very huge role in my life; she
was and still is my mentor to date. Once I got to
high school, my mother asked me to focus more
on my studies and to put music aside.
Nonetheless I continued writing and singing
secretly because I felt as though music was my
destiny. As soon as I was done with secondary
school, I remember I had to sell a ring my
mother had given me to enable me to get a
recording deal. Making it wasn’t as easy as it
seems now. Then I had to lie to her that the ring
had dropped into the pit hoping and praying that
the songs I had recorded hit. Unfortunately
selling the ring bore no fruits because those
songs didn’t make it to the corridors of any
radio station. Luckily, I met Papa Misifa who had
heard my songs and from there, my music took
a turn for the better. We released my first hit
Nenda Kamwambie in 2009 and the rest is
history.
What are your future plans?
Music is my main source of income currently but
you never know what tomorrow holds for you. I
have ventured into various businesses on the
side to ensure I remain financially stable just in
case I am unable to sing or dance in future (God
forbid). I own a recording label called WCB
where I manage and mentor a couple of
upcoming artists. My main aim is to take the
Tanzanian music industry into further heights.
How is the Tanzanian music industry?
The Tanzanian music industry is just like any
other industry. There’s cut-throat competition
among artists, a lot of imitation also, so you
really have to strive to excel. However I think the
competition is healthy as it keeps us (musicians)
on our toes and also enables us to produce
enjoyable and entertaining music.
What does music mean to you?
Music means a lot to me! Apart from earning me
a living, music also gives me some sort of
fulfillment. Money is secondary to me and has
never been my main motivation to sing. Though
nowadays the pursuit of money is almost directly
linked to the pursuit of happiness. Many people
argue that money is equal to happiness.
However this mindset has led many people down
a path that doesn’t suit them leaving them
frustrated at their work places. The secret is to
follow your dream, or pursue something you are
good at and you will definitely succeed
No comments:
Post a Comment