Diamond platnamz
Naseeb Abdul, popularly known as Diamond, is easily the biggest music name in East Africa today. PHOTO/COURTESY
What inspired the name Diamond?
The name started as a joke while I was singing in Wasafi before I became famous.
In the beginning, I didn’t like the name and I would get annoyed every time I was referred to as Diamond.
As a musician it can be difficult to change your name at the last minute.
Getting people used to your new name is an uphill task that I wasn’t ready to undertake.
Since the name had stuck and I already had a large fan base that knew me as Diamond, I decided to keep it.
How would you describe your music?
I describe my music as Bongo Flava. It’s a mixture of Afro Pop, R&B, hip hop and Arabic flavour.
What inspires your music?
I get my inspiration from the society and through my own life experiences.
Which musician inspires you and why?
I am inspired by Usher Raymond because of his undeniable vocal prowess and his breathtaking performances.
Usher
started singing at a tender age and despite the changing times, he has
managed to retain his place as one of the greatest R&B musicians of
all time.
Usher is one guy I would like to collaborate with in the near future.
You are an award winning musician, how does that feel?
It feels great! I mean it shows that my fans appreciate what I am doing.
I spend a lot of time in the studio with the hope of producing hit songs.
The more I get awarded, the more pressure I feel to remain relevant in the changing music industry.
You know music is very dynamic; what was cool or hot last year is obviously not this year.
I always ensure I stay abreast with the new music trends. Perhaps that is the reason I always scoop awards.
What’s your biggest achievement?
I have achieved a lot! I thank God for my success so far, it wasn’t easy.
Despite the fact that my mother can take care of herself, just being able to cater for her expenses brings me great joy.
I consider that as my biggest achievement. A lot of people make it and forget where they came from but not me.
The place my mother holds can never be taken over by fame, money or my music career.
Tell me more about your mother
Singing is one of the most fulfilling ways I express myself, and my mother had the necessary tools to help me start.
I started singing at tender age like Usher (laughs), and if memory serves me right, I was in class five.
I
couldn’t write my own lyrics so I would do an impression of various
songs and practice repeatedly until I got the lyrics right.
But
my mother saw my talent and eventually she started writing lyrics for
me. She always encouraged me to sing in front of others.
It seems obvious but it takes a lot of courage, enormous desire and passion to sing in public.
My mother instilled all the necessary skills I needed to succeed in the music industry in Tanzania.
She
has played a huge role in my life; she was and still is my mentor to
date. Once I got to high school, my mother asked me to focus more on my
studies and to put music aside.
Did you put music aside?
No. I continued writing and singing secretly because I felt as though music was my destiny.
As
soon as I was done with secondary school, I remember I had to sell a
ring my mother had given me to enable me to get a recording deal.
Making
it wasn’t as easy as it seems now. Then I had to lie to her that the
ring had fallen into a pit, hoping and praying that the songs I had
recorded became a hit.
Unfortunately, selling the ring bore no fruits because those songs didn’t make it to the corridors of any radio station.
Luckily,
I met Papa Misifa who had heard my songs and from there, my music took a
turn for the better. We released my first hit “Nenda Kamwambie” in 2009
and the rest is history.
What are your future plans?
Music is my main source of income currently but you never know what tomorrow holds.
I
have ventured into various businesses on the side to ensure I remain
financially stable just in case I am unable to sing or dance in future
(God forbid).
I own a recording label called WCB where I manage and mentor a couple of upcoming artists.
My main aim is to take the Tanzanian music industry higher.
How is the Tanzanian music industry?
It
is just like any other industry. There’s cut-throat competition among
artistes as well as a lot of imitation, so you really have to strive to
excel.
However, I think the competition is healthy as
it keeps us (musicians) on our toes and also enables us to produce
enjoyable and entertaining music.
What does music mean to you?
Music means a lot to me! Apart from earning from it, music also gives me some sort of fulfillment.
Money is secondary and it has never been my main motivation to sing, although many people argue that money equals happiness.
This mindset has led many people down strange paths and left them frustrated in their places of work.
The secret is to follow your dream or pursue something you are good at and you will definitely succeed.
What songs are you performing on Coke Studio?
M.I and I will be performing “African Queen” which was originally done by 2Face Idibia from Nigeria.
I
like the song because it takes me way back to the time I was doing my
‘O’ levels. I remember I used to sing it so much in school until I got
nicknamed 2Face.
The lyrics are good and they
highlight the beauty of our African sisters. 2Face nailed it on this
one. I will also perform one of my latest hit songs “Number One”.
It’s
a song that anyone with a significant other can relate to. The melody
and lyrics are amazing. I don’t want to blow my own trumpet so I’ll let
the viewers be the judge.
“Number One” is different
from all other songs I have done before. I am sure everyone is going to
love it. Finally, HHP from South Africa and I will sing “Temptation” by
P-Square.
The song tells a story of how men cheat on their significant others with beautiful women hence the song’s name.
It’s a song I like, not because I am a cheater (laughs,) but because it has a nice melody and anyone can dance to it.
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