The weekend extravaganza crew of the Weekend Trumpeta, had an exclusive interview with Engr. Bruno Chigozie Iroanya popularly know as the magic fingers.
The Ihitte Uboama born artist turned music producer revealed to we many information about his career in the music industry, his mentors and his jazz album.
What is your motivation into music production?
Actually I stumbled into music out of love during my secondary school days, SS2 to be precise I was motivated by musicians like Bobby Brown and his group The New Edition, Michael Jackson and couple of other Artists, from them I developed an uncompromising interest for music till date.
Why didn’t you go into singing, rapping or dancing when you were motivated by musician instead of production?
I didn’t start as an artist; I formed a group called Candy Boys with two of my friends who share the same love for music with me. We were into rap, but later expanded our horizons with singing and raggar, and we were making waves. Then something happened and was delivered into production.
TELL US WHAT HAPPENED?
YES! Our studio Engr. Left abruptly, and he was the only digital Engr. Within the South-East and our work was hanging on the balance. I had to take up the challenge relaying on my experiences with some electronic gadgets, I have always watched the Engr. With keen interest and have learnt some things from him which I some times practice in his absence. And moreover I can ay that I have always been an electronic gadget freak, which had led me to construction of a radio and TV stations like the famous radio Mbaise. With that courage I told our boss then Uncle Dallas Anyanwu (of the popular sweet breeze band) that I think I can do this thing oh, having believing in me, he agreed and guided me the first basic teaching that I have in studio engineering (Music Production).
LIKE WHAT?
Uncle Dallas really took me under his wings and taught me some much; how to program, how to produce, and other aspect of music production. With that I was able to complete our album that has been hanging on the balance since the engineer left and the song/album was perfectly produced, a lot people did not believe I did it. That was how it started, people started asking me to produce for them and before you could say jack I started loosing focus on singing and rapping and falling in love with my group also disintegrated.
IS ANY OF YOUR GROUP STILL INTO MUSIC?
Yeah! BM by name, is still very much into music production after a strict inChina, he came back and opened a recording studio (body shakers studio) inAbuja.
FOR HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN MUSIC AND THE MUSSIC PRODUCTION BUSINESS?
I have been in the business for the past solid 7years, my singing career started at the age of 15 and full time production at the age of 17. after a memorable and wonderful stay at Cubic Recordings Studio, with Uncle Dallas, I got into the tutelage of another Music production expert/authority Chief Vitalis Ajumbe CEO Beaton Recording Studio who continued from whereDallasstopped in making me the magic fingers music production East of theNiger. Before I jointly set up Multyconcept Record studio with third oga Mr. Onye who is based inOnitsha. It was after my NYSC programme I opened my own studio summit creature studio.
BRUNO LETS GET A LITTLE BIT PRIVATE, WHICH UNIVERSITY DID YOU GRADUATE FROM AND WHAT DISCIPLINE/COURSE?
“My Brother naImoStateUniversityand I studied fine and applied arts, though I started with architecture before I switched over to fine and applied arts”.
ARE YOU MARRIED?
I am happily married with two kids.
HOW MANY ARTIST/ALBUMS HAVE YOU PRODUCED SO FAR?
“There are so many, I have really lost count of them several years back. The truth is that I have worked with very many artist from different music background, gospel, hip-pop, jazz, bongo, highlife etc. The only ones that call to mind easily are the bongo artist/album”.
WELL IN ROUGH ESTIMATE LIKE HOW MANY?
“Ok say 500”
WOW! THAT IS A WHOLE LOT!
COULD YOU NAME SOME OF THE BONGO ARTIST/ALBUMS YOU HAVE PRODUCED?
“Why not, Dr. Sir Foreigner was the first Bongo artist I produced, followed Obareze then Eligwe Uggorji. The fourth artist was Saro-Wiwa, fifth was King Owigiri, followed byChimuanya,NDArabanko,
THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TOUCHED MOST OF THE HEAVY WEIGHTS IN BONGO MUSIC
Well, I will tell you by his (God’s) grace yes!
ARE WE EXPECTING ANYTHING FROM YOUR STUDIO BEFORE XMAS?
Yes, I have a couple of artists in the studio who are putting to their album, queen of bongo vibrant, Valentine, mummy Juliet Nkem Ozobia among others, although there are some that might not come out this year. Presently I have just produce and released the first ever Bongo jazz, is in the market now.
WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO PROSPECTIVE ARTIST?
Well there arte two angles in all endeavors of man kind’ the physical and the spiritual therefore the spiritual should come first by presenting your intention to God and back it up with prayers because their will be a lot of distraction and discouragement, but with God you can not be pulled down by any negative force. Then the physical angle always enjoy enjoy what you choose to do despite the challenges because there is always light at the end of the tunnel. So do not be profit/money conscious!
ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
A supposed to be thanking you for what your paper is doing in Imo State
