Music Is Not From This World, Says Congolese Singer Estime Mvutu Nzanyikusu
The Musician speaks to the Congolese muso.
From Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, comes Estime Mvutu Nzanyikusu, a bilingual musician who writes ‘RnB, Afrobeat, Folk and Rumba songs’.
Music has accompanied him from the days his parents played music while he readied to go to school. It accompanied him on his way to school as well, and you can also say that it still accompanies him to this day.
Apart from his parents playing music to him, another person who plugged Estime deeper into music is Jireh, a friend of his that showed him a song that he played every day for a long time.
Good music, says Estime, has to do with authenticity.
The muso, whose strength is learning a song quickly when it touches him, will not divulge what musical project he’s working on right now. ‘It’s a secret,’ he says.
L. SOJINI: Can you tell us about yourself? Where you’re from and what kind of musician you are.
ESTIME MVUTU NZAYIKUSU: I am born and raised in Kinshasa, capital of Democratic Republic of Congo… I make and write mostly RnB, Afrobeat, Folk and Rumba songs in a bilingual world (French and English)
L. SOJINI: How did you get into music?
ESTIME MVUTU NZAYIKUSU: My parents would play music while we getting ready to school, on my way to school that was a thing too.
But I got introduced to playing an instrument, and the singing by a friend of mine, Jireh Lukengu, in 2013. He showed me one song that I guess I played every day for a very long time.
We’d sing after school and I’ll have a sense of fulfilment.
I was already part of a church choir. But I was in the percussions with Maracas. I loved my maracas and I would enjoy playing them even trying to develop skills around it.
L. SOJINI: What do you think makes good music?
ESTIME MVUTU NZAYIKUSU: Music is not from this world. That’s why to do what it is supposed to do, we have to stick to its root. Authenticity or a heart for that.
L. SOJINI: What are your strengths and weaknesses as a musician?
ESTIME MVUTU NZAYIKUSU: I have a lot that many would consider that sometimes I do too but I am learning to overcome that. I personally don’t know many songs but when a song touches me, I guess my passion and determination makes me pick it up in just few and I can learn it in a short period of time.
L. SOJINI: What are you currently working on?
ESTIME MVUTU NZAYIKUSU: I am currently working on something. But it’s a secret…
L. SOJINI: How do you approach music? As in, what’s your philosophy when it comes to making music?
ESTIME MVUTU NZAYIKUSU: I grew up seeing how music transcends imaginable things. Heal a heart, comfort someone, make crying of baby stop, encourage someone, and so on..
So, I believe in making music to feed the soul
L. SOJINI: What are you most proud of to have achieved as a musician?
ESTIME MVUTU NZAYIKUSU: My debut with a phone, earphones and a laptop.
L. SOJINI: How do you promote your music?
ESTIME MVUTU NZAYIKUSU: I reach out to radio stations, email promoters and mostly social media, post a lot.
L. SOJINI: Who’s your favourite musician? Why?
ESTIME MVUTU NZAYIKUSU: Do I have a favorite musician? I don’t know really… I’d say my friend… ML Jireh 320
L. SOJINI: What’s your advice or message to fellow musicians?
ESTIME MVUTU NZAYIKUSU: It’s good, music can make money and business and all that but when you stick to authenticity, you never run out. Music is for the soul and the heart what words are for the mind.
L. SOJINI: Can you recommend one musician you’ve worked with that The Musician can interview next? You can share their Twitter handle.
ESTIME MVUTU NZAYIKUSU: They don’t have Twitter. That’ll be my friend too but I will pass the message to other musicians and the ones that will be interested. I’ll send them your way.