Diamond Platnumz on fame, Netflix and being loved-up

Tanzania’s biggest star has been in London to promote his new EP First of All, and, despite suffering from a cold, no doubt brought on by the dramatic drop in temperature, Diamond Platnumz was in a very good mood.

We had invited him to a studio to perform a few of his new tracks acoustically, and he was in his element, picking up random musical instruments in the room and chatting about fingering to the guitarist we had brought in to accompany him.

He sang four songs: Fine, Sona, Loyal and Somebody – and would happily have done more if his team hadn’t been keen to whisk him off to his next engagement.

First of All has 10 tracks so would qualify as an album but Diamond explained that the EP was born because he had created so many songs in the process of making his next album.

An EP (meaning extended play) is longer than a single but shorter than an album.

But for the 32-year-old awarding-winning musician the main difference between the EP and the album is the amount of fanfare:Quote Message: When you tell people [it’s an] album the expectation becomes too high, I think that’s why some people say you know what: ‘I’m going to give an EP.'”

When you tell people [it’s an] album the expectation becomes too high, I think that’s why some people say you know what: ‘I’m going to give an EP.'”

It is interesting that even with his success and experience, the pressure is still there when it comes to releasing new music.Quote Message: I take it very seriously. I’m thinking of how I can promote our music from back home, so every song I do I have to make sure I don’t let my people down. No matter how much I do this, I still feel: ‘But OK what if they don’t like this song?'”

I take it very seriously. I’m thinking of how I can promote our music from back home, so every song I do I have to make sure I don’t let my people down. No matter how much I do this, I still feel: ‘But OK what if they don’t like this song?'”

There are up-tempo songs on the EP, including a banging track called Fresh featuring Focalistic, Costa Titch and Pabi Cooper, but the overall feeling is sweet and loved-up.Quote Message: People love those songs, even I do love them. You know you can be on the bed and you want to listen to a song and it can’t be up-tempo, you need something that can make you feel like you are floating.

People love those songs, even I do love them. You know you can be on the bed and you want to listen to a song and it can’t be up-tempo, you need something that can make you feel like you are floating.Quote Message: It’s good nowadays to release a song that can be played in the room and in the club as well so it makes it more easy to get more streams.”

It’s good nowadays to release a song that can be played in the room and in the club as well so it makes it more easy to get more streams.”

One of the love songs Diamond performed for us was Loyal – in it he sings: “I promise to be loyal… take my phone and take my password baby oh, take my ATM card spoil yourself eeoh.”

In the context of this, I had to ask him about his recent appearance on the Netflix reality show Young Famous and African.

On the show, he comes across as quite the player, pursuing South African rapper Nadia Nakai and talking about previous lovers and even children he may have out there.Quote Message: We needed some things that can make people get attracted more to watch the show, you see, so I’m cool with that character, I’m fine with that.

We needed some things that can make people get attracted more to watch the show, you see, so I’m cool with that character, I’m fine with that.Quote Message: I mixed with my real life and I want to say 98% is real. We are human beings, we can’t be 100% perfect. People love lying – just because they’re celebrities they want to look positive all the time.

I mixed with my real life and I want to say 98% is real. We are human beings, we can’t be 100% perfect. People love lying – just because they’re celebrities they want to look positive all the time.Quote Message: People need to understand the reality of life, but then, they need to understand that we are trying to be better.

People need to understand the reality of life, but then, they need to understand that we are trying to be better.Quote Message: I’m not married yet, so you never know… Looking for the person you are going to get married to, is like searching for the proper thing, and that’s what I was trying to do.

”I’m not married yet, so you never know… Looking for the person you are going to get married to, is like searching for the proper thing, and that’s what I was trying to do.Quote Message: I saw Nadia and I was like OK let me see how it goes. I never wanted to act like I’m too decent. I’m a man, I get attracted, when I see a proper girl, I feel like I want to have relation with, especially when I’m single, I feel like why not?”

”I saw Nadia and I was like OK let me see how it goes. I never wanted to act like I’m too decent. I’m a man, I get attracted, when I see a proper girl, I feel like I want to have relation with, especially when I’m single, I feel like why not?”

source: bbc