We caught up with Nxwrth, a Ghanaian Ghanaian record producer, musician and DJ. He is a member of the collective- La Même Gang.
1. How did you get started in the music and entertainment industry and what gave you the motivation to stay with it?
I started way back in Junior High School. It started with drumming on tabletops to taking samples of endings of people’s beats to make my own.
At that time, I had no idea of how to make beats.
Motivation came from myself and the people around me. They believed in what I was doing and supported me in anyway they could.
2. How did it go from playing around with Fruity Loops on a normal Tuesday night to making this your living?
It became a habit actually. Every time I found myself on FL Studio, it was more of an adventure than just making beats and it just got better and better.
3. Did you have any doubts in your mind that you weren’t going to be successful?
YEAH!!
You know how the mind is sometimes… and in this part of the world, it’s difficult putting all your hopes on something like music.
I however owed it to myself to be great.
I’ll never give up.
4. What steps did you take to get your music heard first of all and how did you get to produce songs for some of the big names amongst your peers?
All of my music is on SoundCloud. I’m trying to get them on Apple Music as we speak. Radio too has been of help.
I’m currently based at Villain Studios. Anytime some of the big names come over, I play them some of my stuff and we work.
On other occasions, I pick out an artist I’d love to work with and send them emails.
That works!
5. Do you think we have an active and working music industry here in Ghana or just a music space?
Nope. Not at all. I feel if we all play our cards right, we will soon enough.
It’s just a feeling though.
6. There are times in any career when life isn’t going your way, how do you keep focus at times like these?
I do any of the following:
- Listen to Kid Cudi
- Watch Inspirational interviews or documentaries.
- Go to the beach and clear up my mind.
7. What are some of the biggest differences you’ve seen in your line of work? (Changes in production or music making)
There’s been drastic change, which I honestly love. I love old school music. That’s where I get all my inspiration. I love the new genre even more.
Music production has changed from just hiding in the background to support the vocals to actually owning the song.
I believe there’s a balance now.
8. What do you feel are the other elements an artist needs to have as part of their product to go out there and pitch it?
An artist should have Versatility, be rich in his local culture, be exclusive and perhaps, possess certain Uniqueness.
9. Where do you think most artists that you work with get their funding?
Probably savings or salary from they side jobs. I don’t really know. Lol.
It’d be so awesome if we all could get paid from this thing we love doing.
10. In your opinion, what classifies as a good mix and a good master?
C-L-A-R-I-T-Y.
As simple as that. Clarity within the spaces is everything