By: Naudili Stefanus H.
While the industry is shaken by surprise weddings and cheating scandals, certain individuals have chosen to use this opportunity to make their mark in the music industry, individuals like an upcoming Afro-pop artist, probably super-star, Courage. The artist has made his mark through features on various celebrated local songs such as Dance Down Low by Bravo B.
By the time he released his first song, he claimed he was already “a force to be reckoned with” in the local music scene. With affiliates to a local music and dance group, BT-Squad from Ongwediva, he added that he is well acquainted with the industry and the vast ways and skills to exploit should he need certain developing resources.
When asked the question how it was for him when he came into the industry, he expressed that although it was a struggle he appreciated the many lessons he had learned and the experience was one he could not trade for anything.
“It wasn’t entirely challenging for me, hence I was part of a group called BT Squad, and so I had it handed to me when it came to recording and studio exposure or getting shows to perform,” he says.
Considering the vast campaigns about relationships such as the red flag on twitter, #IKnewIWasPlayed and #MenAreTrash, to name a few, Courage, as his name implies, employed some courage to make a song that addresses how some men can be appreciative of their partners, where he draws a beautiful scenery on how difficult it is to court, how to behave after you have achieved success in your courting, and blatantly just appreciating the female gender in his words.
Courage expresses that, although artist are stereotyped (sometimes rightfully) as “playboys”, with him, the song “I’m In Love” was inspired by his personal experiences and the many romantic encounters he has had in his life or has seen amongst people in his community.
He says among the many genres he can cover, afro-pop remains to be hard for him, and serves to challenge for him to achieve his breakthrough since, in his words:
“The genre is acceptably new, and the people in the north tend to appreciate more of the common, cultural genres like Kwaito, I’m required to tap into my inner creativity, in order for me to be appreciated and accepted as a formidable artist,” he said.
We cannot take away the artistry and the ingenious delivery he has shown in making the song “I’m In Love”, as this piece of eargasm is titled, and we can’t ignore the topic he addresses, one which many of us tend to avoid. The song “I’m In Love”, is but one of the many creations he has delivered, and looking at the art embedded into it, he must have many verses and tunes left for us to relate, dance, cry and respond to.
We hardly pay attention to the northern-based artists ever since Fresh Family, so now might just be the time to shine the light on the talent locked out, on the other side of the red line.
