#TheTribeExclusive: R&B Crooner Desmond on Music and Rebranding

This sizzling hot episode of #TheTribeExclusive features a little hip hop fun with R&B crooner Desmond.

TheTribe: How important was it for you to establish your brand, to establish the music, to create?

Desmond: It’s not easy always, and when you eventually do it or you do something with the music in your life, then there’s someone else that doesn’t want to see you succeed, because they also trying to do it, so that whole envy and jealousy is also there, so it wasn’t always easy man.

TheTribe: Since 2007 when you came through on the scene, the R&B game has transformed. Do you think that it’s at a level where we can compete internationally with our R&B artists?

Desmond: Yeh, it’s just, obviously we have the population problem and then the financing and all of that with the video and promotion and getting out there on different platforms in Africa. But in terms of the quality of music itself, hands down.

TheTribe: Have you ever had the opportunity for your music to be elsewhere on the African continent?

Desmond: Yeah, I’ve played a couple of radio stations in Nigeria and outside, like in Europe.

TheTribe: You have worked hand in hand with KK ever since the beginning of your career. What is that relationship about?

Desmond: That’s my brother since way back. We lived in the same neighbourhood, but we actually didn’t know each other, so one of my neighbours, one of the homies told me, you should meet this guy, he also does music and then we linked and we just vibing in the studio. When at the time he didn’t know where to go for music, because he also just started, so I introduced him to Eclipse, and then from there we just started making music, it’s a brotherhood. Rest in peace to Eclipse.

TheTribe: You went from Little D to your government name Desmond. How has the name change affected your brand under Little D, like for the positive and the negative as well? 

Desmond: I think a lot of people still know me as Little D, so obviously the listenership is always going to be a little different.

TheTribe: How is this album going to be different from what we’ve heard in the past?

Desmond: I think I’m more confident in myself as a musician, because from the very beginning I’ve never wanted to box myself in as an artist, because I’ve done hip hop, R&B, I’ve done Kwaito, so now I’m just trying to have fun. If the music feels good, sounds good, I’m going to do it. Like on this album I have pop, I have Afro Beads, I have hip hop. If I feel like I want to rap, I’ll rap, sing, sing. I’m just more confident as a musician. Because first before anything I’m a fan of music before I’m an artist, so I appreciate different genres and different types of sounds, so I’m trying to experiment with that.