By Tawanda Chari
dontworry might be a name a few are acquainted
with but he is what we may term a super producer in his own right. Music flows
naturally in his veins and his uniqueness is hard to ignore. We first got to
know his name via Nova Bleq, and we have been ardent fans ever since. We
managed to get a word from him and below is an excerpt of our conversations.
[Slightly edited for brevity and clarity. Interview done by Tawanda Chari for ZimSphere.]
ZimSphere: Who is dontworry? Take us
through a bit of your life and musical journey. Why go by dontworry?
dontworry: Indeed, the name is dontworry. All small letters. It’s more of a mentally-driven reminder, more than anything else really, the reminder that life is too short to stress over things you cannot change nor control. I also do be worrying at times too so I need the reminder.
I have always had a passion for music ever since I was
young, from breakdancing early in primary, to drumming beats on tables with a
pen and my fist, joining choirs and all that.
Met a friend of mine in high school who was into rapping, I was probably
17. Told him I could make beats for him at which point I had no clue about software,
how beats are made, nothing! Went home that night and got on the internet, and
that’s really it all started.
ZimSphere: Do you write songs yourself?
Are you also a musician?
dontworry: So
how I come up with my songs is kinda different from a lot of people to
be honest. A lot of people that I've worked with at least. I found out a lot of
times that people get a beat and write a whole song and then they practise it
or come up with ways they can execute the song. When they go to the studio they
tell the producer that this is the song I have and I want to do this and
that to it. I really tend not to apply that.
I make a beat obviously. Start vibing, write some
lyrics. I don't actually write them down but I just go on the mic since I've
got it next to me. I just spit whatever line that I have. Could be 2 lines, 4
lines or a whole verse. I put any idea I have on the beat as I'm making it and
keep going on the beat until I get more lyrics. If I need to take a break I
just take a break and come back to it a few hours later, even the next day
really.
Some ideas; I have even left them open and continue three
months later. I work on it as soon as I get the inspiration or the idea before I
lose it. I feel like a song that's performed that way comes out differently as
compared to a song that's read out. I don't know if that makes sense, but I
feel like reading out lyrics takes away the soul and the personality out
of the lyrics.
ZimSphere: What exactly is a producer?
dontworry: A
producer is someone who can make music happen. Someone who can create a whole
vibe like when an artist comes in, he/she may have a desire to make a song but
might not know how to go about doing that.
They might not
know what kind of beat or sound they want. They might even know exactly
what they want to do. As producer it's my job to see how they [artists] are
feeling that day, what are they going through, what's happening with their
families and home situation.
Real songs, real music comes from real experiences
that are really happening so I dig deep inside of what the artist is going
through or what's on their mind. That way I can make a beat that is complementary
to what the artist is feeling hoping that the song will come out smoothly.
A producer is more than a beat maker. Someone who
produces has control and has input on the whole vibe of the song. It could be
how the lyrics are being delivered, it could be the pace, how the song is supposed to capture the
audience. A producer does a lot, without a producer there is no song. That's
what I believe.
ZimSphere: What's your specialty? As in
your genre of music? If so, why that specific genre?
dontworry: Would
have to say my specialty is the bridge between RnB and the current sound of hip
hop. Music that you can listen to and feel not just hear or just nod your head
to. Music that’s meant to last as compared to riding waves/trends.
ZimSphere: We understand you've worked/you
work with Nova Bleq. Super Talented. Which other artists have you worked with
that you think we should check out?
dontworry:
Have gotten the chance with a few local artists namely RayKaz, Swayth3rd,
Indigo Saint and Kristian Badboii. Got a few more artists that I’m in contact
with and I’m hopeful that some more music will come out of it.
ZimSphere: Are you satisfied with the
progress in ZimHipHop currently?
dontworry: No,
I’m not satisfied. But honestly I don’t have much control over that so I try
not to pay it any mind and just focus on what I gotta do.
ZimSphere: In your opinion, what is a hit
song?
dontworry:
[ beat playing ]
I think it's
something that is here one time and make you groove the first time you hear it.
It's about how a song makes you feel.
But for me it's more about reach, like are you able to
reach at this extent. It might not be a hit song to other people but it's about
growth. The very first moment you hear a song and everything is on point, the
beat, the adlib, the production, the vocals, the chorus and it just hits right.
It gotta be a whole vibe.
ZimSphere: What do you look for when
listening to a new artist you're recording? Have you ever turned people away
for not being good enough?
dontworry:
One thing I look for when I'm working with a new artist is originality. Hearing
a new vibe and not be able to compare it to anyone else. If I can hear a good
vibe and not even try to find who the artist sounds like, that's what I'm
looking for. That's something that stands out because everyone with a mic and a
laptop these days calls themselves artists and producers. The game is saturated
and we need voices that are gonna stand out. After that we look at flows
and everything. I look for something that l enjoy and l work best with someone
who is my friend.
I would say yes [I’ve turned people away here and there]
but I am quite open to working with a lot of people. I have turned down people
on SoundCloud or Instagram that would DM you and ask to work with you but they have
no work on their pages that shows they are artists. I ask them to send me some
of their stuff and if they don't then I turn them down.
ZimSphere: What other producers,
songwriters and/or artists do you see as your primary inspirations?
dontworry:
Inspiration is all around, would be greatly understating if I were to list some
names. Been loving music my whole life and along the way I picked up sounds
from, the way songs made/make me feel, therefore when I wake up every morning
and sit on my desk, the music that comes out is this collage of different
sounds I have been in contact with – running through the filter of how I’ll be
feeling in that moment. When I make music I’m just tryna capture how I
would be feeling in that moment, if you wanna understand how I feel
listen to what I have just made.
ZimSphere: Is there anything new you
intend to do in the industry?
dontworry: Everybody
is making the same song. Jumping on the same kind of beats, the same subject
matter (money, women, cars, success stories etc). The usual stuff. Even with
the visuals, people be doing the same thing. At least that's my opinion.
What I intend to do differently is show/tell my story.
Everything that happens to me on a day-to-day basis. The music that I make is the
caption of the moment, what I'm going through at that point. I don't believe
that anyone else in the country is going to have the exact same experiences as I
do. Therefore, I feel work that I'm gonna do is different from everybody
else's. I'm trying to give people hope and inspiration. I want people to feel
that they are not alone.
ZimSphere: Do you have a favourite musical
project that you've worked on?
dontworry: Fav
project? My upcoming EP entitled SAY which is an acronym for Songs
About You. I have been tweaking it for quite a while obsessing over making
every moment and element of it feel right. It’s the best shit I have
ever made man, and I’m excited for y’all to hear it!
ZimSphere: Is there an artist you want to
work with that you have not yet had the opportunity to work with, locally?
dontworry: Yeah I got a few on my checklist. I’m talking
about Denim Woods, Obi Davids, Suhn, Holy Ten.
ZimSphere: What do you do outside of working on music? A
business maybe. A side gig, perhaps?
dontworry: Currently
a Musicology student at Great Zimbabwe University (GZU).
ZimSphere: Do you have advice for young
people who want to become music producers/ artists?
dontworry: My
advice to aspiring musicians is to get some gear first; that way you work
whenever, at your own convenience. That’s your laptop, monitors and your mic
setup. As soon as that’s out the way really, just put in the hours, till you start
making shit you really love. Don’t copy, just do you!
ZimSphere: Where can people reach you for
business, studio and/or social media..?
dontworry: Anyone
can reach me here on my number +263783002496, and on Instagram as dontworr.y and at my email address dontworrbeats@gmail.com.
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