Name: Kudzai Blessing Mawoyo aka Vanco
Nationality: South African
Occupation: Producer, DJ
Current release: Vanco's new single "Hoya" featuring Tunde, is out via ALGRA,
Recommendations: I will be so honest, I am not int reading books, not much into detail into painting either. However, I think Richard Bona is an artist that I would want to let the readers know about.

If you enjoyed this Vanco interview and would like to stay up to date with his music or DJ sets, visit him on Instagram, twitter, and Soundcloud.



When I listen to music, I see shapes, objects and colours. What happens in your body when you're listening? Do you listen with your eyes open or closed?

Eyes closed because the feeling is something unexplainable - close your eyes and only imagine.

What were your very first steps in music like and how would you rate the gains made through experience - can one train/learn being an artist?

There is no doubt that we all can learn to be something we want to be in life. Music on the other hand is art. And, well, in my opinion art is a feeling and that special gift differentiates us from one another.

It cannot be learnt because it’s a gift from the higher power.

According to scientific studies, we make our deepest and most incisive musical experiences between the ages of 13-16. What did music mean to you at that age and what’s changed since then?

For as long as I can remember, music has been playful, joy, something that excites me and puts me in a good mood. It still feels special even to this day.

What, would you say, are the key ideas behind your approach to music and what motivates you to create?

I have had phases of getting inspired by the groove, vocal, keys, basically different ways to approach music making. Currently music is a feeling. I have to feel inspired by the emotion not only in the vocal, drums, keys but as a whole. I got be moved somehow.

I don’t have a standard routine, I have learnt to become versatile. I feel inspired by life situations, life challenges.

Even after a performance, it helps me to create the music I am making at the moment.

To quote a question by the great Bruce Duffie: When you come up with a musical idea, have you created the idea or have you discovered the idea?

I think more like created an idea. I think “discovering” is a big word because the world is one, we live together, inspire together and ideas keep evolving.

It's more creating an idea that was inspired by a series of life events, upbringing ... there are so many factors in my opinion.

Paul Simon said “the way that I listen to my own records is not for the chords or the lyrics - my first impression is of the overall sound.” What's your own take on that and how would you define your personal sound?

I agree. I listen to a song as a whole.

Now, just like any human I have preferences. Some will like vocal, groove, or guitar more. But I don’t separate those or go so much into detail. I like to just listen to music and draw a feeling from it which makes me feel something.

My sound is global, I feel, with a touch of my African roots versed in the groove. More than anything I call it “mood setter music.” I have got heavy tunes that makes you want to dance and also got other tunes from my discography that are mood shifters, feeling inspired just happy vibes.

Sound, song, and rhythm are all around us, from animal noises to the waves of the ocean. What, if any, are some of the most moving experiences you've had with these non-human-made sounds? In how far would you describe them as “musical”?

Sound has always been instrumental to me.

I remember as a young boy; I was always fascinated by how cats, and dogs change their sounds because these are common domestic animals you would find in a typical house. So it's no surprise to me that in music creation plays a vital role. Sometimes one would want to add a lion roar sound effect because it fits with the mood of the song.

Each sound is an instrument. It's just up to us to decide on how to play with the sound.  

From very deep/high/loud/quiet sounds to very long/short/simple/complex compositions - are there extremes in music you feel drawn to and what response do they elicit?

I especially love vocals that hit the right spot in my heart - easy going for the ear and smooth.

Could you describe your creative process on the basis of one of your pieces, live performances or albums that's particularly dear to you, please?

In live performances, I arrange my music in different folders which I break down into various sub genres, energy levels too.

I don’t plan what I am going to play live but it will depend with the vibe / mood as well as my as my timeslot.

Do you conduct “experiments” or make use of scientific insights when you're making music?

I do take note of what is happening, of trends. Should something inspire me to evolve, I don’t shy away from incorporating it into my musical journey. We live in a world in which we have to be open minded.

How does the way you make music reflect the way you live your life? Can we learn lessons about life by understanding music on a deeper level?

Every song has a message. The more mature I become, the more I am learning that my music corelates with how my life is becoming. So the mesaage behind most of my song actually is a clear picture of how I was feeling at the time.

Sometimes I write a letter to myself of what I want to become which is the life I want to live.

Do you feel as though writing or performing a piece of music is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't in more 'mundane' tasks?

I am at my highest level of honesty and reveal the inner child.

Every time I listen to "Albedo 0.39" by Vangelis, I choke up. But the lyrics are made up of nothing but numbers and values. Do you, too, have a song or piece of music that affects you in a way that you can't explain?

Yes, “Dtjoh” by Citizen Deep & Jessica LM. It is a made up language but hits me on the right spot.



If you could make a wish for the future – what are developments in music you would like to see and hear?

A platform where almost everyone who is doing their best gets to get a chance showcases their abilities to the world.

In addition, to be able to live off this craft and not have day jobs as many artists have day jobs and only a few get to be blessed and do it as a full-time profession.