Chronicle Editor
This week, MUSE’s track Moments is topping the charts.
Below is a profile of MUSE.
Question: Tell us about yourself
Answer: Peter Chester, stage name MUSE, which stands for Metro Urban Sophisticated Entertainer. Many people believe that I was born in America, not at all, I was born in Bulawayo then moved to America when I was six when my mother remarried. I’m an Actor, Music producer, Songwriter, Hip Hop artiste.
Q: How did you venture into music?
A: Music has always been a part of my life. My first time in a professional studio was back in 2002 and I haven’t looked back.
Q: The song Moments, what inspired it and who did you work with?
A: My new record, Moments, is inspired by the way you get swept off your feet when you first meet someone that blows you away. After the first conversation you picture spending your life with that person even though you’ve just literally met. On this record I collaborated with Harare’s Nyasha Timbe.
Q: Do you think promoters play a good role in developing local music or artistes?
A: I believe promoters do what they can to try and help artiste, who in turn cannot expect promoters to do all the work. I’ve been part of a few promotion teams and it’s always the same thing. Gigs are set up for artistes and they are told to bring their people and you find out of 10 artistes on the line up perhaps two show up with their audience.
The thing I used to hate to the fullest and still do is knowing that gigs have an artiste budget and yet artistes are given their performance fees in tickets and are told if you don’t sell you don’t get paid.
Q: What do you think artistes from the city should do to be recognised?
A: Set up their own shows first. This way they can engage their communities which will help build their buzz and in turn numbers.
Q: They say Bulawayo doesn’t have its own sound. What’s your take on that, do you think we need our own sound or we need lyrical content that people from the city can relate to?
A: It’s pretty simple. Harare is Drill and Zimdancehall. Bulawayo is Boombap and Amapiano. Look at Moments for example and the way that I have infused Afro-pop, a touch of piano with the long drums and, of course hip hop. We as Zimbabwe as a whole are influenced by what is happening outside of our borders no matter which region we are in.
Yes, we have amazing local acts, truth be told everyone’s goal in music is be a part of a major label or break independently and until an artiste figures out how to own their own individual sound the story will always be the same, they will always merge sounds, but that’s music.
Q: How long have you been in the music industry?
A: Twenty years
Q: Which artistes have you worked with?
A: I’ve produced and recorded for Nyasha Timbe, Novuyo Seagirl, Fifie Cinderella, Asaph, Luminous, Brucella, Ashely Love, Indigo Saint, Killemol, Lord Skeelz, McChita and many more.
Q: How many albums/EPs/singles do you have?
A: Released projects are three mixtapes, one EP, two albums, over 20 singles.
Q: Who inspires you?
A: My surroundings inspire me. That’s why I call myself MUSE. I take a lot from what happens in my personal life but also in my environment to make the music that I do.
Q: Which music genre do you specialise in?
A: As a producer at The Balcony Studio we try to cater to everyone’s taste in music. Myself as MUSE, I’m a hip-hop and Rn’B artiste. At the end of the day, if the beat moves me I will get on there and let it take over.
THIS WEEK TOP TEN SONGS
1 MUSE and Nyasha Timbe – Moments
2 Mjava & The Small – KeSummer
3 Six Kings – Ngowami
4 Teekay G – Ama sports
5 Ntu2kay – People
6 Dakuda feat Asaph – Zimbindaba
7 Conga Brother – Nampaya
8 Achuz – Shlel’siz’wisa
9 Hwabarati – ekasi lami
10 Lamas Ellz, Novuyo Seagirl, POY, Holly Stacey – Touch
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