Cover Star Interview
Tanzanian superstar Diamond Platnumz joins LootLove via FaceTime on Apple Music 1 to talk about his latest track, “Melody (feat. Jaywillz).” He also discusses his latest EP, First Of All; working with talent from across the continent; learning to produce during lockdown; and trying his hand at amapiano.
The Big 5
LootLove shares the 5 hottest new African tracks of the moment. This week’s selection includes new tracks from Oxlade; Smallgod, DARKOO & KiDI; Rich Mavoko feat. Nviiri The Storyteller; Uncle Waffles & Tony Duardo feat. Sino Msolo & Boibizza; and Elaine.
Africa Rising
Apple Music’s latest Up Next: South Africa artist, hip-hop star ByLwantsa, is the latest artist featured from the Africa Rising playlist, a campaign which shines a light on the next generation of African superstars, and this week’s show features his two singles, “WHITEBOARDS (feat. ThatoFeels),” and “Pretty Stars,” from his EP, SPIJØNGET (Chapter Three). Listen HERE.
Loot Loves
Each week, LootLove chooses her favourite track, taken from one of Apple Music’s African playlists. This week she shines a light on Nigerian singer-songwriter Skiibii and his single, “Baddest Boy (Remix)[feat. Davido]”, from Apple Music’s Naija Hits playlist. Listen HERE, and find a roundup of all LootLove’s selections on Apple Music’s LootLoves playlist, HERE.
Tune in and listen to the full episode this Sunday, March 20th at 4pm EAT / 1p London / 2p Lagos/Paris / 3p Johannesburg / 6a LA / 9a NYC on Apple Music 1 at apple.co/_AfricaNow [or on Cool FM in Nigeria every Sunday at 6pm].
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Diamond Platnumz on his thirst for new music
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To me the first duty I have is to know all the new songs that come. It’s like when people go to school or whatever, I must know all the new songs that come out. When the new song or new artist comes out, I have to embrace it. When you hear someone, you’ll never know how big the song can be, how big the artist can be, so when the new artists come I embrace everything.
If there’s this new type of sound, [I need to know] if I’m going to have to do it or however I’m gonna do it. Ok, there’s a new type of artist, and I want to do a song with them, how am I gonna do it? I don’t stop learning.
Diamond Platnumz on showcasing African music
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As an African I think I have a duty to promote and to embrace the culture where I came from, through my music so I can tell a story about not only where I came from, but the whole continent of Africa, telling the world how beautiful it is, telling the world stories that maybe sometimes aren’t ever heard, and as an East African as well I’ve got a duty as well to show the world that there’s the greatest musicians from here, to represent the continent from the East side of Africa.
Diamond Platnumz on the different sounds of ‘First of All’
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There’s different types of sounds of the EP, and the main point is I’m African, and all the sounds you hear on there are African sounds, from different zones – there’s piano, there’s afrobeat, there’s bongo flava. I just wanted to mix so that I can give the world the collection of our sound.
