We were lucky to catch up with Zaid Sewer recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Zaid thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
Music was always all around me and I wanted to learn as much as I could. This naturally developed into writing songs and making beats. I was about twelve (12) years-old when I decided I wanted to be a music producer. I was taking piano lessons in school, after school and also playing double tenor pan with the Love City Pan Dragons Youth Steel Orchestra. My friend James and I would meet up every Sunday after church and have these beat battles with the beats we made that week. I would shut myself in my room and spend countless hours on Music Studio 10 Deluxe experimenting with melodies. I then graduated to FL studio, then GarageBand and eventually Logic Pro. I convinced my parents (an easier talk than I thought it would’ve been) that I should pursue a degree in Audio Engineering or Audio Production.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
Music helped me to find my sense of purpose. I started learning to play the steel pan at age 5, I started writing songs at age 7, started learning piano at age 12 and I got into production shortly after that. For years I saw myself as only a producer and a writer. I also played in a local reggae band. It wasn’t until I lost my dad that I found my voice. I needed an extra outlet to express myself. Singing was that. If you told me as a child that I would be performing at music festivals and have my music playing on multiple radio stations, I wouldn’t believe you…but here I am.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
It touches my soul when people tell me that my music has helped them through break ups or grief, or even sparked discussions. I think that’s a level of appreciation that means the most. Seeing people dance to my music and have a good time while I’m performing is also one of the best feelings in the world. People came out to see you and sing lyrics that you wrote. It’s beautiful!
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Support for artists can come in many ways. Sharing music with friends is a huge one. You know how many artists we know and love because a friend or family member told us how much they loved a particular artist’s music? Going to shows and streaming the music is another way. Sometimes opportunities come up because of the numbers. Promoters, labels, etc love to hear about how many streams you have or how you’ve sold out shows. I also think there should be more opportunities for upcoming artists to be seen and heard (i.e. showcases, opportunities to open for artists, etc.)
Contact Info:
- Website: theazi.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/the.azi
- Facebook: facebook.com/the.azi
- Twitter: twitter.com/theking_azi
- Youtube: youtube.com/c/azimusic
Image Credits
Jah’Gambo Media