PHAT!buzz March 2021 Issue #241

MARCH 2021

Issue: No. 242

Since 2000

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Beryl Owano PB: INTRODUCE YOURSELF BO: Hey, my name is Beryl Owano aka Omukhana Msanii also known as Then Voice Of New Africa. I’m a Singer, Songwriter and Performer. I am signed under Origarmi Boy Ltd Group.

PB: YOU TOOK A ONE-YEAR HIATUS FROM THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, WHAT WERE YOU UP TO? BO: I took a one year hiatus from the music industry as advised by my new management. I was generally all over the place and didn’t have a plan for my music also I wasn’t emotionally stable to handle the industry. During the one year; I’ve been writing and recording music non-stop and working on bettering myself. Glad to have a management that has been present in all I was doing last year.

PB: TELL US HOW YOUR EXPERIENCE IS NOW THAT YOU ARE BACK. BO: My experience now that I’m back has been amazing so far and I thank God for that.

Of course my team and I were afraid that the audience and fans might have forgotten me but I thank God that it has been the complete opposite. I’ve been received back very well. I am looking forward to doing more so that I can make the people who believe in me more proud.

PB: TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW RELEASES. BO: My new release Fire Emoji is the first release from my soon to drop Omukhana Msanii EP which has 6 super dope songs; and the 2nd single drops in March. It was the idea of my manager: K - LETTA. He wanted me to try something different like writing on an up-tempo beat and I remember it was quite hectic for me and we disagreed a lot because I wasn’t getting it but when I gave it full concentration and focus, I was able to pull through with it. It’s a song that motivates women to take charge and be proud of who they really are.

PB: DO YOU HAVE ANY MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES AS AN ARTIST SINCE YOU STARTED OUT? BO: My most memorable is When I won the Female Artist of The Year in Kisumu Teeniez Choice Awards 2017. Slowly played a big part since it was my breakthrough and I’m grateful to the organizers and everyone that voted for me too. It made me feel appreciated as an artist.

Another memorable moment is when I collaborated with Matonya on my single and first collaboration ‘Slowly’. It was to be released as a solo project but that time I had sent it to a presenter and a Deejay and coincidentally they were listening to the song close to Matonya; and when he heard it he wanted a verse. I must say that was one of the most humbling and highly favored experiences in my life.

PB: WHAT IS YOUR INSPIRATION FOR THE COME BACK? BO: My inspiration for the comeback is the lessons I’ve learnt from my past experience in the music industry and the passion and goals I have to change someone’s life from the little I can get from my career. But most importantly I don’t want to let down the people who believe in me: my team and my fans.

PB: HOW HAS LIFE BEEN DURING THE PANDEMIC? BO: For me during the pandemic, I learnt a lot from my team. They installed a lot of patience, forgiveness, resilience and work ethic in me. It was time for me to appreciate myself and the far I’ve come and am glad that right now am able to share positive vibes out there.

PB: ANY LIFE LESSONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? BO: The most important life lessons I’d love to share are: stay prayed up no matter the situation, focus on building yourself, stay disciplined and be the best at whatever you do - you never know whose watching.

PB: ANY WORDS OF WISDOM YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? BO: Stay true to yourself and people that care for you. If it doesn’t add any value to your life leave it. Always remember where you’ve come from but most importantly stay grateful to those who have helped you in one way or another.

PB: ANY LAST WORDS? BO: OMUKHANA MSANII EP drops very soon so guys should subscribe to my YouTube channel BERYL OWANO for instant updates. Also, follow me on my Social media accounts

BERYL OWANO

@berylowano

@berylowano

Interview by Njeri Kimani | Photo courtesy of Beryl Owano

BURNA

BOY

With his fusion of dancehall, reggae, Afrobeat, and pop, Burna Boy emerged in the early part of the 2010s as one of Nigeria’s fastest rising stars. The LeriQ-produced 2012 single, “Like to Party,” proved to be his breakout track and paved the way for his full-length debut, L.I.F.E., a year later.

Over the next five years, Burna Boy released two more albums and collaborated with a variety of artists including from J Jus and Skales to Fall Out Boy and Lilly Allen. His international exposure widened with 2018’s Outside with hit #3 on the Billboard Reggae chart which won the Nigeria Entertainment Award for Album of the Year. In advance of his next LP, 2019’s African Giant, Burna has made his first appearance at California’s Coachella Festival.

Burna Boy was born Damini Ogulu in Lagos in 1991. He began making music when he was just ten years old, and at school, a fellow classmate gave him a copy of the production software FruityLoops. Armed with these means, he began to create his own beats on an old computer. After he graduated, he moved to London to attend university, but dropped out after two years and moved back to Nigeria.

In 2010, the 19-year-old Ogulu traveled to Nigeria’s southern coast where a mutual acquaintance, producer LeriQ, had some studio space. This marked a period when he began to connect to the music of his native country, having spent most of his youth immersed in American acts like DMX. He delved into the dancehall and reggae music his father listened to, and the Afrobeat music that his grandfather preferred (he’d also been Fela Kuti’s first manager). As a result of his new discoveries, Ogulu created a confluence of genres that would become his signature sound.

Alongside LeriQ, they created “Like to Party,” which marked his rise to prominence, and created a local buzz along the way. 2013 saw the release of his debut studio album. L.I.F.E., which featured guest slots from Wizkid, Timaya, 2face, and M.I., drew favorable reviews from the music press. For his sophomore effort, 2015’s On a Spaceship, he parted ways with both his record company and LeriQ, and delivered a record even more diverse than his first. In 2017, he teamed up with producer Juls for the single “Rock Your Body” A host of singles followed throughout the year, including “GBA,” “Streets of Africa,” “Koni Baje,” and “Sekkle Down,” featuring J Hus. Dropping the Lily Allen-aided single “Heaven’s Gate” in early January 2018, Ogulu delivered his third album, Outside, later that month. He returned a year later with the single “Killin Dem,” a collaboration with Zlatan.

Along with additional singles like “Dangote” and “On the Low,” it was later included on his fourth album, African Giant, which saw release in July 2019.

@Officialburnaboy

@burnaboygram

@burnaboy

Burna Boy

JAYJEY THE DJ D J WOL V ER I N E PB: INTRODUCE YOURSELF. DJ WOLVERINE: My name is Philip Gitonga.

PB: HOW HAS LIFE BEEN DURING THE COVID-19?

DJ WOLVERINE: Well, times have been hard for everyone and worse for us the entertainers because our livelihood had to change completely. We never knew if something like this was possible.

PB: HOW HAVE YOU BEEN HANDLING POSTPONEMENTS AND RESCHEDULING? DJ WOLVERINE: I have been occupying myself with other activities to generate income to remain afloat as I prepare and wait for the rescheduled dates to get down to business.

PB: HOW ARE YOU WORKING ON YOUR BUSINESS DURING THIS TIME? DJ WOLVERINE: I am currently focusing on improving my levels of skill and quality in delivering my services to various clients so that when things resume to normal I will be a better DJ. PB: ANY LIFE LESSONS LEARNT DURING THE PANDEMIC AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE DJ WOLVERINE: Never put all your eggs in one basket. Have as many sources of income as possible such that if one is affected you have something to lean on. Also, be adaptive to change. They say change is inevitable and finally stop procrastinating. Now you have the chance so do it now because you have no idea what tomorrow has in store for you.

PB: ANY FUTURE PLANS IN RELATIONS TO THE NEW NORMAL? DJ WOLVERINE: I plan to increase my online presence since social interaction is currently limited then when COVID-19 dies down we go HARD!!

PB: ANY WORDS OF WISDOM FOR ALL LOOKING TO BE A DEEJAY? DJ WOLVERINE: Identify a niche in the industry and bank on that. Remember time is everything and everything takes time.

dj wolverine

@djwolverine_ke

@djwolverine_KE

Since 2000

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