Talent is the ability to create something from nothing, but it is not enough for you to be successful in your career as an artist. You also need to have skills too.
Your artwork will only be as good as its execution; if you don't put in the time necessary to master your craft then it might not turn out so well at all.
Yes, some innate talent is required to become an artist. But that talent needs to be balanced with the right amount of hard work and efforts. Both nature and nurturing have important roles to play in determining who becomes a great artist.
People who choose careers that are driven by their natural talent draw energy from using their talent. So they are happier and more productive. They can also easily learn new related skills faster because they enjoy what they are doing.
Mthulisi Talent Keswa also known as Dr MTK is one such musician that uses his talent manifest in vocal and rapping abilities to accentuate the messages of hope within the society of Zimbabwe and abroad.
As an artist his creativity has been driven by the passion to tell the stories of reality and actualising this through fusing different genres such as gospel, hip hop and amapiano which are also sounds that many of the youth resonate to.
Keswa explained that: "In my musical career I have done two official projects, my first one was titled Warfare in the wilderness which I did in 2017 and was nominated as the Best Gospel Artist at Zim-Hip Hop in 2018. In this project I had a music video which was shot by Rasquesity from Keaitse films which was aired on Channel O and MTV base in 2018.
"My second project was the Rise of Bantu-buntu in 2021 and I made small college tours and church tours and it made a number of sales due to the physical push around those places. With regard to my third official project I have big plans with it as I am aiming at corporates and people who are willing to help including videographers like Brooklyn films."
- A fusion of talent, skill and hard work
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Dr. MTK also explained how in his latest project he had featured Keylar Justin and it was her first joint in igniting her to a brighter carrier on the musical side as she has been predominant on the poetic and acting side. The latest song he composed was titled “Sdudla Sam” produced by Black Orient and the instrumental/beat was done by DJ T-Hustle.
“The song is there to promote love between distant lovers no-matter the circumstances they face or which are separating them so that they get to encourage on their pure form of first love and trust as vows to stick to their first values and promises in relationships, and not to be lured out. However, there are various temporary temptations from both ends, and so that's the motion storyline of the audio and the visuals. It addresses the reality of migration which has become rampant within the context of Zimbabwe and has become a factor that has led to broken marriages," Keswa said.
As someone who is focused on the development of talent and skill on the youth, Keswa explained how he was embarking on tours within secondary schools where he was of the vision to inculcate an entrepreneurial mindset on the youth. This was based on the need to strengthen the capacitances of the youth so that they are able to use their talents and capabilities to monetise and in the process have a means of living that will capacitate them in their every day activities.
“The new education model's thrust is to produce entrepreneurs as opposed to job-seeking graduates and as artists this is a model that can be of relevance especially when we apply it in capacitating the youth who are in need of inspiration. Education 5.0 is a five-mission model of teaching, research, community service, innovation and industrialisation, established to move the nation forward towards an innovation-led and knowledge-driven economy. With adequate support from different sectors particularly the corporate world, this is a mantra that can help grow and develop the youth, and in my endeavors within schools I seek to includes aspects of this model as it is of relevance,” he said.
With regard to the challenges that he has faced, Keswa outlined that financial constraints in the organising of shows and doing recordings were a major hurdle.
He explained how this was a problem that affected a lot of musicians who even fail to buy instruments and recording equipment as the root of the challenges that he faces. In mitigating this challenge, collaboration with relevant stakeholders; that is people with the resources and the financial muscle remain of key importance.
“Hence we still face difficulty in getting people who can represent us to the fullest like corporates, real managers and true promoters to ensure we develop ourselves. We need such people coming in because we really need those areas to be filled by people who respect us as artists. We need to have a viable industry countrywide which can spread internationally, not only capital city industry. It has to be a unified national thing and not only have a few artists benefitting like what we are seeing.”
For artists it remains important that they are aware of where their inspiration and talent comes from. As for Keswa, his inspiration has been driven by the love for what he does with regards to his music. To him being an artist and using his talent has helped him find sanity and happiness and as someone who is into gospel music, he seeks to please God the giver of talents.
The biggest impact is in the ability to tell a story and deliver a message of positivity that edutains and also strengthens the society and enhances people to make the right choices.
- Raymond Millagre Langa is musician, poet, orator, independent researcher and founder of Indebo edutainment Trust. You can follow on Facebook @Millagre Ray Langa, on X you can follow on #Millagre Langa, email. millagrepapito@gmail.com or indebotrust@gmail.com
