‘On The SpotLight’ this week we have a ‘one on one’ with a man who has been in the game for some time now. From his chart topping album ‘Lockdown’ which was dropped back in 2015 to collaboration projects with labels such as ‘House Afrika, Soul candi, Deepforest, Define Dub, Dj Syndicate’, ‘Roque’ has both feet firmly planted on the ‘Deep House Music Scene’. This time around we catch up with him and give you the ‘inside scoop’ on what he has been up to. ‘On The SpotLight’, I present to you ‘Roque’.
ShoMag: Big up on taking some time out for this ‘one on one’ and welcome to ‘The SpotLight’. Let’s start by kicking things off on a lighter note, who is ‘Roque’ and where is she from?
Roque: ‘Roque’ is Sibusiso Neville Mtsweni, I was born and raised in Mpumalanga Witban, South Africa and recently moved to Johannesburg.
ShoMag: You have been in the game for a while now and have dropped releases such as ‘Signals’ back in the days. For you where does the love of Music come from especially ‘House Music’ and how did your musical journey start?
Roque: I was just so fascinated by the way producers in the early 90’s just lifted the tempo of jazz songs and the way they sampled them when making house ‘it blew me away’. So I was buying a whole lot of cassettes by legends like ‘Glen Lewis, Vinny Da Vinci, Dj Fresh’ and so on.
ShoMag: Throughout your ‘illustrious music career’, what has been the ‘one challenge’ you had to overcome and what would your advice be to an artist or musician faced with a similar challenge?
Roque: Self-Doubt was a challenge caused by people around me and fellow musicians so I just took a step back and looked at where I was at exactly and remembered what got me there. ‘I just believe in my music’.
ShoMag: ‘Mzansi’ is definitely rich with ‘talented musicians’. Do you share the same sentiments and if so as the ‘Dance Music Loving Nation’, are we on the correct track?
Roque: Yes we are on the right path but ‘we don’t invest in production equipment and software’. Most deep house music producers tend to sound the same because of this and as long as our radio stations are still playing their close friend’s music or people they know personally we will never grow.
ShoMag: One can only say, ‘you have done a lot for House Music’ over the years and with your music label ‘Deep House Police’. What was the driving force behind starting an ‘independent music label’?
Roque: For now I just see my label only ‘as a tool to distribute only my music’, I am not ready to take care of other artists as yet as it is still too early for me.
ShoMag: Your last album ‘Lockdown’ released through ‘House Afrika’ carried with it ‘classic and timeless material’. What was the inspiration behind that offering?
Roque: ‘Lockdown’ for me was an interpretation of the music I listened at that time and how it taught me the production skills I have today.
ShoMag: There have been rumours doing some rounds about you working on a follow-up album ‘A Double Disc To Be Precise’. Are the rumours true and if so, what can we expect from that release?
Roque: ‘There will be a release before September this year’ but I cannot say anything else and there are also other planned releases with other producers before the end of the year.
ShoMag: You have been picking up some momentum this year with ‘Four to the Floor, Pt. 2’ and with your latest single ‘Us featuring Tantra Zawadi’. How did the feature with ‘Tantra Zawadi’ come about?
Roque: I liked Tantra’s Voice since I first heard it when I was remixing her EP ‘Lies’ with my friend ‘LeleX’ ,so I approached her for a collabo and she agreed.
ShoMag: ‘Collaborations are key’ within the music industry in so many ways. Are there any particular musicians you would like to work with ‘on your future projects and also on Deep House Police’ and why the desire to work with them?
Roque: Yes, definitely they are key, I would like to work with ‘George Levin’, he speaks to jazz chords he is my all-time favourite and ‘Lady Zamar’, she knows how to keep a song to its original build up and knows how to write, she obviously has a great voice.
ShoMag: Closing it off, what would be your final message to some ‘young talented bedroom producer’ who is trying to crack open into House Music Industry and what can we look forward to from you this year?
Roque: ‘Just know why you are doing what you are doing’ and do you honestly see yourself being with the best in the world? I can only say I have 50 Vocal and Instrumental songs that I need to release before the year ends, ‘so definitely I will be dropping an album and a few more EP’s’.
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