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It’s very seldom to find a producer who makes his presence known during his first online release and not only was this felt but it seemed like with each passing year since he started producing, he made sure to make a mark and release songs that are enjoyed by the masses. After winning 3 major remix competitions in one year, it didn’t end there for him. He has shared stages with the likes of Atjazz, Charles Webster, QB Smith, and Glen Lewis to name a few and released Jazz vs. Soulful vol. 1 earlier this year.

With yet another release that came out in July and released under Chymamusiq Records, Cue Note got a chance to interview him and this is what he had to say:

Chyma

Chyma

Firstly let me begin by thanking you for agreeing to be featured on the blog and taking time out to do this with us, it’s greatly appreciated.

 

1. Before we jump into the more serious questions, let’s find out a little bit about who Chymamusique is outside of music.

Chymamusique’s real names are Collen Ntala Mmotla.  I’m a brother of 2 and the only son in my family. I’m from a town called Burgersfort which is on the boarder of Mpumalanga and Limpopo province.

 

2. Most people who are now producers fell in love with house music first, then became djs then thereafter decided to get into the production side of things but with you it was slightly different. You were a pianist first, fell in love with house music then decided to get into producing. Did you find that whole shift to be challenging or your experience as a pianist made it somewhat easier?

Being a pianist actually helped me learn many things about music as a whole. I think it was a great advantage for me to learn how to play keys before venturing into music production.

 

3. You started learning how to produce in 2005 so when exactly did your love for house music surface and which album/songs would you say planted the seed for this love?

I always loved house music since year 2003 even though I was more of a church boy, my actual first love was jazz music and any house track that had a jazzy feel just made me feel good inside. So as most producers started leaving soulful house production for afro house I saw a gap and started my own thing.

 

4. In most cases when anyone enters a competition they pray they win at least one out of the many they had entered. In your case you won 3 remix competitions in 2010 alone. Tell us a little about that and the response from people thereafter?

I think remixing was always one thing that I loved because it didn’t give me lot of work to record but just to make a beat that will sound great and suitable for the vocal that’s already recorded. After winning the remix competitions people started taking my work seriously and following me to events just to hear my unreleased new music.

 

5. Now I have to know, how does it feel to hear your song being played on radio or when you hear your song being played at an event and you see people going crazy over it? Do you still get overwhelmed by that kind of response or you have gotten used to it over the years?

It used to be overwhelming but now I’m used to it , not that I don’t get happier but I don’t tweet or call friends anymore when my song is played anywhere even if it’s by a top international DJ.

 

6. Going slightly of topic… There is a theory going around that most (if not all) djs know how to dance and can dance really well. So on a scale of “I have 2 left feet” to “Usher has nothing on me”, how are your dancing skills?

My dancing is terrible lol… I can only tap my feet and nod my head or rather jump up and down when a good song hits me hard.

 

7. Leaving aside some of the international djs you’ve had the pleasure to play with in an event, who would Chyma still love to share a stage with?

At the moment I think I still want to experience playing alongside Louie Vega and his orchestra Band.

 

8. You have your own record label – Chymamusiq Records – that you started and it is doing really well. What exactly made you decide to start your own label?

I started my own label because I had noticed that most big labels were avoiding soulful house music as they said, it isn’t as profitable as “sgubhu”.

 

9. This year you have been a very busy person. Besides the remixes you have done and being featured on a number of compilations, you also released “Jazz vs. Soulful vol. 1” earlier this year and recently dropped your album “Gift of Sound”. How has the response been to all the work you have done more especially towards “Gift of Sound”?

I’m honestly happy with the response I get about my album, its selling well even though some people pirate it I chose to look at the positive side of it and keep pushing.

 

10.Is there anything else you have planned production wise that Chyma fans can look forward to in the near future?

 I’m planning on releasing an album for artists and producers under Chymamusiq Records”, the album will strictly contain our tracks and will be out in 2015.

 

11.Any last words to aspiring youngsters who look up to you and would love to get to where you are right now?

I would advise them to focus on studies and do music as a hobby because it’s not easy to pull through the industry and piracy is also killing the industry. The youngsters really need to study hard.

 

Apart from his “Gift of Sound” album, you can catch some of his latest featured tracks in:

  • The Soul of Africa vol. 4
  • Music Box vol.7
  • Do For You ft. Komplexity
  • The Soul of Afrika vol.3

To keep in touch with what he’ll be up to next, make sure to follow and/or like:

Twitter: @Chymamusique

Facebook Page: Chymamusique

SoundCloud Page: Chymamusique

Chymamusiq Records

Chymamusiq Records