My unique sound sets me apart in the music industry —Zaph

Zaph is a fast-rising artiste in Nigeria who believes that his craft will take him round the world. In this interview with ROTIMI IGE, he speaks about his music and plans for world domination.

Background and early memories of family life

My name is Megai Joseph, stage name Zaph. I am the second of three children, a graduate of International Relations from Oduduwa University, Ile-Ife. I am an Afro-fusion singer with a lot of  singles to my name. I grew up in Lagos and Ibadan, living in both places really helped develop my sound; the music culture is great and the environment is lovely. It has all the right pointers to help groom a music artiste.

How did you develop interest in music?

My parents were music lovers, so growing up they were always playing music in the house and car, so I picked an interest in music. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to attend a properly rounded secondary school where we had the opportunity to work on music projects and perform in front of the assembly. The feeling was euphoric and it was during one of these euphoric moments that I realised that music was my gift and I had to share it with the world.

What kind of music do you do and why?

I began my music career as a rapper but over the years my music has continually evolved until I discovered Afro-fusion to be my niche. Afro-fusion interests me because it speaks to the ordinary man in the street; it is a blend of contemporary music infused with traditional rhythms of Africa to create a style of music that is pleasing to the ear and which is sweeping the music scene of Africa as well as other parts of the world.

How did you get your stage name?

The full name is actually Zaphnath-paaneah and it is biblical. It is the name which Pharaoh gave to Joseph when made him the prime minister (Genesis 41:45). This is a pure Egyptian word and it means ‘creator’. Interestingly around the time I was looking for a stage name I was reading the Bible, not in search of a name though, but then I came across the name and since my name is Joseph, I picked an interest in the name. I decided to adopt the name because it helps depict my uniqueness.

What/who influenced you to do this?

Ever since I was young, I was drawn to it.  I could sit for hours and listen to music. I discovered that music was what I really liked and it makes me really happy, you know what they say, “make your hobby your work and you will never work for the rest of your life”.

Tell us a bit about your songs?

I released my first studio record in 2014. Over the years, I have churned out a lot singles and covers. I’m a storyteller and my music cuts across many genres. My songs are melodic and lyric-intensive.  Every song is a story about my feelings, emotions and environment.

How do you get inspired to write your songs or beats do it for you?

It works both ways; sometimes I have an idea in my head, I make the sound and then go to the studio to record. Other times, I listen to a beat add vibe to it and make my magic.

You are dropping a new song. Tell us about it.

The song is entitled ‘Fall in love’, it will drops on November 23 2019. It was produced by Tayoristar, an in-house producer for Dr Dolor Entertainment, the song was mixed by Steine beats. Tayo gave me the beat and in 30 minutes  we made the record. ‘Fall in love’ is a melodic medium paced song where I re-emphasised my commitment to go to any length for the girl I love. It’s a really amazing record and I would recommend for everyone to update their playlist as soon as it is released.

What’s next for Zaph?

After releasing my new single, I have some tours coming up. Next year I intend to release an E.P. I’m looking forward to getting back in the studio, again to continue working in a bid to give my fans top-notch music.

What do you think will stand you out as an artiste seeing that there are so many acts like you waiting to break out?

That would be my creativity and unique perspective as an artiste, I have a deep sense of creativity which helps me to make unique melodic music. I am also a very energetic performer, my ability to electrify the crowd with my performances sets me apart and puts me ahead of my peers.

What challenges have you faced over the years?

Breaking into the music industry can be discouraging, but I know that the disappointments are common stumbling blocks that many musicians have experienced on their way to success, so I don’t consider them as challenges, but I see them as learning guides to the top. I know that I have the talent so with continuous development and persistence, I am sure that I’ll make it as a successful music artiste.

What could you have been if not a musician?

I am a fashion enthusiast; if I wasn’t doing music, I would be focused on building the biggest fashion brand out of Africa.

Do you think upcoming artistes now have a harder task than those in the early 2000?

It goes both ways, in the early 2000, competition was really low compared to the present day, now competition is really stiff, there are lots of artistes feeding different type of music to music lovers and consumers. This only means that as upcoming artistes we have to work twice as hard to get our music to the ears of consumers.

On the flip side it has become easier to release music compared to the early 2000, with the advent of numerous social media platforms and wide range use of the Internet it has become easier to feed music to the public.