WORDS BY LESIBA MANGKA
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF MAVIN RECORDS
Rare – not found in large numbers and so of interest or value.
Upon joining Daily Capsule, I was given a clear mandate. Shine a light on the ‘creme of the crop’ of African talent… As a music journalist, I have a natural inclination to write about music and unlike many music consumers of my generation, I enjoy scouring through the digital archives of music of playlists, both catalogue and personal, just to find one song I enjoy. Why you may ask? Well, the answer isn’t all that simple.
Having access to well over 300 million songs at the tap of a finger is… as the saying goes… a double-edged sword. Being able to plug into music from any corner of the globe is the beauty of the streaming era. Simultaneously, that level of access takes away from the connection between you, as the listener, and the music. No longer do people have a memorable story about what they were going through when they first heard a song. Now everyone’s experience of finding a new song is, ‘oh I found it randomly on Spotify’ – and while I am very guilty of saying that – my discovery of Boy Spyce was a bit different.
‘Dreams’. The first track on Boy Spyce’s eponymous EP immediately encapsulated me with its soothing melodies. The song feels spiritual with its references to destiny, without leaning on the tropes of the prototypical coming of age story. Nor does it carry an air of arrogance in how it’s presented. Boy Spyce offered a unique emotional perspective to an already well-told story.
My first instinct was to follow him on social media and what I found was… Well, refreshing. Scroll to the bottom of his Instagram account and you will find a young Boy Spyce, dressed in humble clothes, passionately performing a rendition of ‘BROWN SKIN GIRL’ by Beyoncé. At that moment, I saw a reflection of myself. Humble, hungry and talented. For the first time in a long time, I had found an artist in the infancy of their career and that moment brought back my spark for music. I felt like I had found a rare gem that no one around me knew about.
You have an interesting cover art. Can you tell us about it?
Bunnies are animals that are loved from a distance. As lovable as they may seem, people wouldn’t love a Bunny as their pet. And why is that? Bunnies are peaceful, loving animals. They just need someone who is open to taking a risk on them. That’s why I am holding a Bunny on my cover art. I see the Bunny as my sound. I just needed someone to believe in me and take the chance on me… and for me, Don Jazzy was that person.
You open the EP with the song ‘Dreams’. What was your first dream? Did you always want to be an artist?
My first dream was actually to become a Doctor, believe it or not. I loved how Doctors were admired for being healers in the community. I grew older and found my calling in music, but even as an artist, I still feel like I’m achieving the same things. My music brings healing to people. Every part of this EP speaks to a time or emotion that a person goes through in life. People from all walks of life have come up to me to tell me how my music helped them get through a tough time in life.
In previous interviews, you touch on having a tough upbringing. How has your tough upbringing shaped you as a person and as an artist?
My upbringing has shaped me in every sense. It’s affected me both negatively and positively. I spent a large portion of my life being looked down on. One memory that stands out in particular, is being backstage at shows and asking organisers for the opportunity to perform. In general, it was tough to find people who would give my music a chance. I carry those experiences with me. Now that things have changed in my career, I am wary of who I share my energy with. I don’t easily open up or let new people into my life, but I’m grateful for my experiences.
What keeps you motivated in life? What inspires Boy Spyce today?
I am inspired by a lot of things but I would say that reflecting on how far I’ve come is the main source of inspiration. I don’t think it is a coincidence that I have come this far in my life. There must be something special about me. Secondly, the reception my music receives and the effect it has on people. Every time I walk into studio, I think about those things.
Who were the most important people in making this EP?
Well firstly, I’d thank myself. I thank myself for always believing in the vision, and for always being in the studio. Next, I would say Don Jazzy. Don Jazzy first contacted me in 2019 and we had an interesting conversation. He told me that I would have to work extremely hard if I wanted to ascend to the next level. He told me that I need to understand that I might have to work continuously before being introduced to the world. There were times when I was recording nonstop in the academy, and honestly, I was a bit frustrated because I’m an ambitious person. Despite my frustrations, I just kept polishing my sound until it was ready for the world. I kept thinking to myself, ‘I have come so far, I cannot give up now’.
I want people to recognise my diversity. I want people to see an artist that can make anything
You keep referencing the academy and it got me thinking, what is the academy?
The Mavin academy is a place where you work on your sound until you’re ready. You’re mentored by A&R and they help you find your sound, but that’s just one part of it. They teach you everything that goes into being an artist… Like branding and media training. They teach you how to be an artist, not just a singer.
And how did you pick the singles for your EP?
Picking singles for the EP was a very technical process. Every song chosen for the EP was calculated. As a new artist, it is important that you have a song that people can sing along to. There were a lot of songs that I had recorded and thought would make great singles but they didn’t make the EP. Not because they weren’t good… I was advised to save them for my album. Each song is designed to cater to a different market. A different fan base. I wanted to introduce myself as a versatile artist so that when I do something that my fan base hasn’t heard before, they don’t reject the change.
I still feel like I’m achieving the same things. My music brings healing to people. Every part of this EP speaks to a time or emotion that a person goes through in life.
I know that artists hate this question but I have to ask. What is your favourite song on the EP?
Honestly, it changes all of the time. At first, I might be in love with ‘Nobody’ but then the next day I could be feeling ‘Bad Things’. It just depends on my mood and the day. That’s why I say that the EP has different music for different times. If you want to dance then you can listen to ‘Wayo’ or if you miss someone you love then you can listen to ‘Dreams’. That’s why my name is Spyce. I bring different flavours. I make things more lively… More interesting.
What do you want people to take away after listening to this EP?
I want people to recognise my diversity. I want people to see an artist that can make anything. While I was in the academy, I saw a lot of artists come out with a song and get put into a box because they exhaust a particular style of sound and by the time they wanted to change their sound, the fans didn’t want to hear it. That’s what I wanted to achieve with this EP. I want my fans to know that I am capable of making anything.
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