BY CHARLES MYAMBO IN UNITED STATES GLOBALLY recognised award-winning singer Antonio Breez says he loves African music such that in his compositions he uses a lot of Afro beats from time to time.
Breez said his early success in music was a result of him singing in church. Breez predominantly releases Rap, RnB music and contemporary house music.
He has released several hit songs such as Listening to Drake. Antonio Breez has made headline appearances on BET, VH1, CMT, MTV and many more channels. United States-based NewsDay’s Life & Style correspondent Charles Myambo (ND) caught up with Breez (AB) and below are excerpts from their conversation.
ND: Right out of the gate, you caused massive waves while you were just a teenager. Dropping your hit single Wet which premiered on MTV, VH1, CMT, and BET and gained so much attention. How did you feel as all that unfolded?
AB: “To see myself on such platforms was huge. I was young and just starting, and of course being on television back in the day was so impressive. We were not so big on streaming services.”
ND: At what age did you realise that you were destined to be great and what are some of the key steps you took to get to where you are today?
AB: “I was just a little boy. My great grandfather was a musician back in Honduras and so was my great uncle. When I was a boy, I sang in churches and my father was an emcee so I always wanted to be here”.
ND: I know you deeply value inspiring others through your story. What are some of the biggest hardships you faced while on your music journey?
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AB: “My biggest hardships were dealing with naysayers and people hating on me of course”.
ND: Is Charity something that you feel strongly about and if so how do you think we can inspire more people to do their part and help contribute to charity worldwide? What role does music have in charity awareness?
AB: “Yes, charity is important to me especially since I did not always have it easy in life. Music has a huge role to play in all aspects of life including charity.”
ND: Who are some of the musicians you felt most inspired by as a child and who inspires you the most today? On the same note, what was the creative process behind your hit Listening to Drake?
AB: “My favorites growing up were always Kanye, J Cole, Nas, Jay Z, Drake and listening to Drake my guy Synthsei made a beat with a loop on it that sounded like Drake. I guess it was not lol, but I structured the song around that thought lol.”
ND: How do you feel about African music and about Zimbabwean music in particular? What are your thoughts about stars such as Gemma Griffiths, Winky D, Mudiwa Hood, Tammy Moyo, Anita Jaxson, Killer T, Nutty O and Enzo Ishall?
AB: “I love African music. I use a lot of Afro Beats from time to time. All of these Zimbabwean talents you mentioned are awesome”.
ND: What message would you like to share with aspiring musicians around the world especially in the US, Zimbabwe and Africa at large?
AB: “Simple answer, don’t give up no matter what happens.”
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