The making of T-Sean, Zambia's dancehall daddy...

ALTHOUGH a cliche, it is still true that you cannot talk about the current Zambian dancehall scene without mentioning T-Sean.

The talented artiste is one of, if not the most consistent dancehall acts in the country.

A singer, songwriter, performer, producer, sound engineer and children’s rights activist, T-Sean who was born as Richard Mulenga has worked with almost all well established artistes and also underground talents.

T-Sean boasts of a long list of hits. These include Boza, Wonder Why featuring B1, Nalishiba featuring Judy, Daily Daily featuring Hamoba, Lekelela Bokosi, Tako, Osoba, Mulipo, Ordinary Girl, Adam, Dear Wanga, Pyepye, Don’t Lead Me On which is a duet with close friend T-Bwoy, Speedometer Burnup, Balance It Up, Umoyo, Try Again and Mayeso.

He has certainly come a long way.

After completing high school, the father of this former Daina Kaimba and Mkushi Secondary School pupil noticed that his son had interest in computers and therefore bought him one which he used to set up his first studio called Bedroom Studio.

On the song Mulipo, he thanks all those who helped him in kick starting his career including his father.
However, his interest in music though started from a young age.

He remembers singing in the Sunday School at Church and then playing drums during his high school days. In fact, he remembers composing his first song in Grade Seven.
As a composer, T-Sean is well respected.

And rightly so.

As a songwriter, T-Sean has written for the likes of Judy, T-Bwoy, Macky II, Kantu, Ruff Kid, late Joe Chibangu and Dambisa.

Some of the notable hits he has written or co-written include Where You Are (Judy), I Miss You (T-Bwoy featuring Chef 187), Kuti Umvele (Dambisa), Bana Chanda (Macky II), and Wilafulwa (Joe Chibangu).

But when he set up the Bedroom Studio, it was easy to create a song as he had no professional music production skills.

Now, it has all come good.

T-Sean, also known as DJ Baila, is into dancehall/afro beat. His influences though are Oliver Mtukudzi, Bob Marley, Beenie Man, Dr Dre, Timbaland and Amayenge Asoza.

He is somewhat the bridge between the old school ZedBeat and the new; he can comfortably switch styles and still sound amazing. It is about the dancehall tone, a heavy Afro pop Influence, and traces of hip-hop.

T-Sean has albums like Adam (The Definition), 90 Days, nominated for the Mosi Zambian Music Award (ZMA) 2014 Best Dancehall Album, Mu Mirror, Time Bomb, which won a string of awards including the ZMA 2015 Best Dancehall Album, Born & Bred Best R’n’B Video of the Year 2015, Born & Bread Video of the Year 2015 through the song Umoyo, Comfort Zone, Faith and his latest offering Grateful.

Recently, he released a six track EP titled Escobar.

“The EP is strictly hip-hop and dancehall beats and on it I have tried to work with a number of artistes and producers,” he says.

Some of T-Sean’s most popular songs are Boza, Wonder Why featuring B1, Nalishiba featuring Judy, Daily Daily featuring Hamoba, Lekelela Bokosi, Tako, Osoba, Mulipo, Ordinary Girl, Adam, Dear Wanga and Pyepye.

Others are Don’t Lead Me On, a duet with close friend T-Bwoy, Speedometer Burnup, Balance It Up, Umapatefye, Umoyo, Try Again and Mayeso.

As a songwriter, T-Sean has written for the likes of Judy, T-Bwoy, Macky II, Kantu, Ruff Kid, Joe Chibangu and Dambisa.

Some of the notable hits he has written or co-written include Where You Are (Judy), I Miss You (T-Bwoy featuring Chef 187), Kuti Umvele (Dambisa), Bana Chanda (Macky II), Wilafulwa (Joe Chibangu), Million (T-Sean).

In 2010, T Sean got signed to K-Amy Studio under which he released a number of singles which enjoyed healthy radio play and burst local music charts. He then released his first album Adam in 2012, which with songs like Wonder Why, Show Your Swag, the title-track and Sinizaibala, T-Sean was announced on the scene as a musician to look out for.

He earned multiple nominations at the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Born and Bred Music Video Awards.

On stage in Livingstone.

He followed it up with 90 Days, which produced a chain of hit singles that took over airwaves like Boza, Dear Wanga and Awe.

In 2014, he released his third studio album titled Time Bomb, which confirmed that he was not a one hit wonder; the album garnered him nine nominations in various music competitions, particularly at the ZMA and Born and Bred.

He set to launch it in October 2014 at the Barclays Sports Complex.

The album launch, which was to be his first ever promised to be a sellout - but it didn’t happen as it was disrupted by heavy rains even before the artiste could step on the stage.

“I still remember that day like it was just yesterday. I was so eager to just get on the stage and do my thing. I had prepared even too,” he says.

T-Sean, one of the biggest local brands and most sought after acts, runs a record label called Buzy Baila International (formerly Bizzy Baila), producing a number of hits such as Nana’s Booty Call (T-Sean featuring Slap Dee), Lolo Lolo (Macky II featuring Izrael), She a Bomb (DJ Cosmo featuring Kayombo), Filekefye (Damiano), Bana Chanda (Macky II featuring T-Sean), Mulipo (T-Sean) as well his duet with T-Bwoy Don’t Lead Me On.

Under his Buzy Baila label, he has signed the likes of T-Sean, D-Stereo, UNIQ Skillz and The lady Beauty.

Not content with the success, T-Sean on May 26 in 2016, released two albums; Faith and Comfort Zone, one for the local market and the other, a strictly dancehall albuX have singles like Osoba, Will You Marry Me?, Really Mine featuring Roberto and You Hot featuring J Rox.

On the same day, May 26, 2016, T-Sean launched an initiative called Daddy Cares (DCI), which is aimed at promoting the well-being of children in society, especially the under-privileged.

"I would like to help build an environment that will see children grow up and develop into responsible citizens; an environment that is violence free, abuse free and without any form of exploitation,” T-Sean says.

"I realised that I have a rare gift; an artiste that can bring politicians, religious leaders, teachers and lawyers in one place. I want to build a better society by being an ambassador for children. I want to be an artiste that will speak for them. An artiste that will echo their little voices to the whole world that’s what Daddy Cares Initiative is about.”

His vision is to see this Initiative grow and touch the lives of children, families and communities where these kids come from. In line with the same, T-Sean is also working in partnership with Child Fund International as a children’s rights ambassador.

“My focus is on helping build a better Zambia, a better Africa and a better world for children.”

He didn’t stop there.

In 2017, T-Sean was among the local artistes that performed at the Mosi Day of Thunder annual music festival in Livingstone.

Other follow up albums include Grateful and the Escobar EP.

To this day, the artiste who is married and with one child has set up the Baila Empire Music, a label under Buzy Baila International that is aimed at giving a platform to talented up and coming artistes to blossom.

T-Sean’s other moniker is Thee High Grade as is his DJ Baila alter ego.