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SeeZus Beats wins the Tru-Cape Amapiano remix competition

Born in Mpumalanga and raised in Kwazulu Natal where he now lives, Sandile (SeeZus Beats) is a Record Producer and DJ who has won the Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing’s Amapiano remix competition of their song Takeaways From Nature. Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing is the largest marketer of South African apples and pears.

SeeZus Beats, as he calls himself, discovered his passion for music during High School. He is a self-taught musician without formal training who draws on a wide range of Western and African genres and musical spheres to create his distinct African sound.

“I got into music when I was in high school in 2013, through listening to a lot of hip hop music on YFM and there was a show called Siz n Scoop where rappers would showcase their skills and they were coming with their own-made beats and through listening to them I was inspired and curious about how they were making the beats. I started learning how to make beats through watching YouTube videos. I learnt consistently and, fast forward to today, I am still improving but have come tops in a competition,” he explains adding:

“The inspiration comes from trying to be creative, taking something from an entirely different genre and made from a different approach and twisting it into Amapiano. How I approached remixing Tru-Cape’s song Takeaways from Nature was to firstly find the tempo of the original song, secondly I stretched the vocals to the Amapiano tempo then found the direction of the mood of the beat (Emotional or Dance).

“It’s adding the emotional part of the music that I like as most producers like to take the dance direction of any remix because ‘that’s what is trending’. I want to either incorporate both or do the opposite. I am versatile in my production, I produce a lot of genres and in most cases Amapiano uses the same sounds, so what sets me apart is using sounds from other genres into my music.

“I stay up to date with what’s happening as I am friends with other music producers and DJs I share music with, music that hasn’t yet been released in public. TikTok has made things easier for us too to discover new talented producers and their music.

Remixing the Tru-Cape song, Takeaways From Nature, I changed the original chord progression because I knew other producers would go for it, and I wanted to take it in an emotional direction so I created a new one that was still in key with the vocals but more emotive. With the drums, I didn’t want to make it typical so I added a groove that worked but was different while it was still in the Amapiano genre. I chopped the first ‘halala’ in the beginning and made it the main chorus because it’s ‘easier to remember and sing along to’ and it fits perfectly with the arrangement of the song. I then made the dance floor (climax) to be able to dance to even if you wanted to lose yourself to the music, you could. The arrangement was largely the same as in the original song but the difference was the second verse which was in the bridge of the song on the remix and I tried to limit repeated words because Amapiano isn’t lyrically focused.

The Tru-Cape Takeaways From Nature Amapiano remix is my favourite. Firstly, it’s because it was a competition, and competitions tend to require you to prove your skills, and I enjoy showcasing my skills musically. Secondly, I’d never remixed this kind of genre before, it was a great first-time experience for me, but it was worth it.

“For Amapiano remix producers who are just starting out I recommend learning music production. There is a lot to be learnt every day whether it’s the programme you’re using, playing an instrument, or learning music theory, just learn and stay consistent. Secondly, use what you have, kids on TikTok are using phones to produce music now and their songs are trending every day, you don’t need a big studio to make a song that will change your life. Thirdly, don’t be afraid to showcase your craft, one thing people love is to watch somebody grow by working on themselves every single day. We all start somewhere, and we all start from zero. There’s only one way to go and how hard you work will determine the speed to your destination. Lastly, don’t be afraid to experiment with different genres and sounds, you might create a new solid genre that people will vibe into.

“I see Amapiano getting more international, more US artists are recognising it and they are sharing it, the next step is for them to collaborate with us, and then nothing can stop us. My contribution is mainly to come up with a sound that identifies what I stand for and where I come from, a sound that will identify that I made it when you listen to it and my contribution would be to spread it more by not only featuring Amapiano musicians but by working with musicians from different genres too.

I have good music I will release in the next coming months which includes collaborations with other musicians too.

Sdala B is really releasing music I am enjoying right now. Msongi, Nomakhosini, Mass O are talented musicians I recommend being listened to. There’s also new blood on TikTok such as Maglakz, Slyza Khondlo and Nompumie with fire talents too.

For Tru-Cape to have an Amapiano competition such as this is an amazing initiative not only because there are prizes to be won but also because it encourages upcoming talented producers to know that there are people who are watching what they do, willing to give them a platform to showcase their talents and support them,” he ends.

Click on this link to listen and watch the SeeZus Beats winning entry.

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