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'Why I prefer Gospel artistes.' Teddy B.

My Man
 Photo: Courtesy

'Why I prefer Gospel artistes'

How would you briefly describe yourself?

I think of myself as a gifted, experienced, learned and down to earth producer who lives and breathes production because I love it both as a business and passion.

As a top Kenyan producer, what makes you stand out?

In a field where many people are fast joining the production field and can now learn the things we went to school for simply by logging on to the inter webs, I always stay steps ahead. This involves knowing key players in the industry, working with top talents, ensuring that my work speaks enough to attract me more clients.

Growing up, what were your aspirations?

Back in the day I wanted to do music, but then I realized that I loved production more as it gave me the chance to create and perfect music from different artistes. It was based on this realization that I joined college for music production classes that led me to become who I am today. If I was not a music producer, I would probably be doing production on television or radio.

Do you specialize in certain genres of music?

For a start, every producer needs to know what they are best at; In that case I have a genre in which I am good at but I am also well skilled across various genres because I always have different clients with different sounds and preferences.

Many people know you for your gospel productions. Do you specialize in the Gospel scene or can you work across the board?

As a producer I can work with any musician, but I prefer Gospel artistes to the secular ones because they have a certain level of decorum that some of the secular ones may lack for instance where some secular artistes may want to come into the studio with beer, so they can get high for inspiration.

How would you describe the Kenyan production scene?

Quite diverse, because I cannot compare the production industry today with what it was back when I was joining it. Today, more campuses are involved in music and production courses through which up comers are equipped with relevant skills so in a few years it shall be quite competitive.

Recently Bahati and Willy seemed to have issues about a song you produced. How often does that happen?

First, those allegations that I had shared Bahati’s music to Willy Paul came as a shocker to me because I have always ensured client confidentiality in my work and secondly, that was simply one of the many issues that the two artistes had.

Sometimes celebrities have issues and they end up dragging the producers into it and I’ve seen it happen with some of my producer friends too but for me, that was a first.

Who were your role models in the industry and do you have mentees?

Once I checked into the industry, I loved how Musyoka of Decimal Records did his work and I often looked up to him and yet another producer, Steve who showed me the ropes. Now that I have my Signature Scopes production business, I have a few mentees who look up to me because they are the future and I will be glad to have done my part.

What are the challenges you have to conquer in your line of work?

Time schedule is one of the main issues because in a creative industry such as this, you cannot restrict work to certain hours. In some cases, some artistes will find inspiration at night and call me up to book a studio session, others will extend their studio sessions as they try to find the right sounds and many more issues in regards to time. I have been trying to work on time management by advising my clients and I hope it works out.

Your word of advice to young and upcoming producers would be?

That they ought to work hard and be at their very best, get committed to perfecting their hassle and be patient enough to see it yields success. The problem today is that young people are in a rush to start and see results almost immediately which is the wrong approach to things.

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