IZUMB is happy to see a whole new generation of musicians and artists coming up and owning the stage, we spoke to Rc of Dream Sounds, a very capable and talented producer.
Q: When did u first start production
A: I first started music production in 2007 and I called my studio Dream Shaper Studios. I developed interest because I used to play keyboard and bass guitar already, and having being bought a computer in the home; I installed all kinds of music software on the computer and was greatly helped by Josphat Charles Million Tembo A.K.A Josi-Beats who tutored me through the music production software. Other notable producers that taught me music production and studio sound engineering are the Mangwato brothers B-shop and Jerry Dee of Kabin Studios and Arron Sakati of G-sounds Studios. Between 2007 and 2010, I spent a lot of my time with B-shop and Jerry Dee at Kabin studios and I consider these as years I spent, learning the art of music production and studio sound engineering. From 2010 to 2011, I spent more time at my studio which I had later renamed Dream Sounds Studios. During this period, I worked at fine tuning what I had learnt from different producers and applying my creativity, musical talent and skill, with the sole purpose of developing a complete identity for Dream Sounds as a studio as well as the music that was going to be produced out of it. It was at this time that I started meeting and working with the big and established artistes in the Zambian Music Industry such as Petersen Zagaze, Matthew Tembo, Organized Family, Mumba Yachi, T-Sean, etc. And now my professional music production career is set and running.
Q: What did your family do to encourage you
A: Throughout this time, my family has been so supportive to an extent that each time we moved from one rented house to another, they always considered a house that would accommodate my studio setup and had electricity supply not only for our studying but my studio too was prioritized. Their complete support was also evident when I was given money to buy another computer specifically for the studio and the funding for the printing of my first CDs to my debut album. Trust me, my family’s support towards my music, studio and music production has been great and cannot be itemized. However my music story will always be incomplete without acknowledging Kalelwa Makasa, a cousin of mine who has always been instrumental in seeing that the Dream Stands to date.
Q: Does anyone in your family sing
A: Well, I love to joke and laugh at my mother as being so un-musical. She is the only one in the family that hardly expresses musical traits however; she is talented at sawing and knitting. I am always proud to mention that my father (R.I.P) played acoustic folk guitar and sung pretty well, and now when I go through my box of memories of him, I realize how extremely musical he was even though music for him was mainly for passing time as he was a medical personnel. All my sisters can sing and are very musical to an extent that they even help in providing musical analysis at times. However music for them is not a professional calling as they have all pursued their passions in different disciplines yet those that are in employment once in a while manage to save and pay for recording. Right now I am working on a song called VICTORY, written and sung by my sister Cindy and her friend Dunda. It is a sweet multi-cultural piece of music and I hope they will decide to release it to the public as it is too good to be confined to only family and friends.
Q: Who are your musical inspirations
A: I am inspired by so many people both locally and internationally. On the international scene, I get my inspiration for music production from Quincy Jones an American music producer. Locally, I am inspired by the works of Ben Kalulu A.K.A Ben Blezar, Jerry Fingers, TK and many more. On the other hand, my singing and song writing is inspired by Exile-Izrael.
Q: What kind of music do you listen to today
A: When it comes to music, I can site one specific genre because I listen to any kind of music for as long as the song is good, though I have a huge inclination towards Pop-Reggae. Most importantly, I love to listen to gospel music during my devotion times.
Q: What embarrassing songs will I find on your mp3 player
A: Fortunately or otherwise, you will not find any embarrassing song on my mp3 player. I am very selective when it comes to the music I listen to especially on a daily basis. Imagine I only have 63 songs on my player.
Q: Do you play any instruments
A: I graduated in 2015 from Evelyn Hone College as a “piano major” and “guitar minor”. I play quite a number of musical instruments. My first instrument is piano, then bass guitar, followed by acoustic guitar and then drums. I also play percussions and because I sing, consider my voice as one of the musical instruments that I play.
Q: What hidden talents do you have
A: Of course I can only mention the talents that I know I have yet never displayed to the public, and these include soccer, stand-up comedy and acting. I guess for some of my hidden talents, it’s just a matter of time, they will get exposed.
Q: If you were not producing, what would you be doing?
A: If I wasn’t producing music,? I was still going to be producing music!!!!!! LOL. Rather on a serious note now; if I wasn’t producing I was going to be a footballer, because my early childhood was characterized by a lot of soccer and if not soccer, then I think I would have been working in a Human Resource Department of “God know what” organization. I say so because Human Resource Management is what I studied immediately after completing my high School.
