Unfiltered Africa is BACK with another episode featuring singer, songwriter and producer, Jordan MoOzy! 🔊🔥 With this video series, we chat with some amazing Symphonic artists and get a closer look at everything they’re working on, personal stories, passion projects and so much more. Read the full interview below…
Unfiltered Africa: Full Interview with Jordan MoOzy
Daphne Barquin (DB):
“Nice to meet you, Jordan. Welcome to Unfiltered! Looking back at your career so far, what has been one of the most exciting moments for you as an artist? Maybe a performance, a collaboration, or new release?”
Jordan MoOzy (JM): 
“That’s a very hard question, because I’m very big on moments. I feel like each moment builds up to the next one, and you can always pick a piece from each individual moment as your favorite. But from the top of my brain, the one that comes to mind is the release of my first EP. I was having some difficulty with releasing music before that, so releasing this one was great because like I experienced what can happen when I am fully in tune with myself and committing to something fully.”
“And I guess it was also dramatic because it was during lockdown, so you’re chasing a curfew, constantly looking at the time, because you could only record until a certain time back then. Also with no budget as well, that was a big thing, but it was exciting. On the other hand, I also loved performing at Corona Sunsets, which is one of the biggest stages I’ve performed at. We had like 2,000 people in attendance. Seeing people vibing to my music on that scale was great. Envisioning the future from there was also very inspiring, because it shows me what the next level to reach can be.”
(DB):
“Oh, so your journey really started during lockdown?”
(JM):
“Well, I started making music in 2018. I think that’s the first time I started recording professionally. Before that I would play a lot of poetry live sessions, a lot of live gigs here and there, and that’s where I built up my small audience from the beginning. And I think that period was when I managed to fully piece together a full project. To sort of solidify the type of musician that I am and the type of sound and feel that I am going for.”
(DB):
“Interesting… so considering your diverse background being a “Gen Z Afropolitan”, what does that mean to you now? And how does that influence the message you want to convey with your music?”
(JM):
“I was born in Botswana but originally from Zimbabwe, so I’ve always felt like my roots stem from the world. I’m a child of the universe. So even in my music, I have never been stiff or closed off. The way I’ve looked at it is like I’m trying to make music for everybody. That’s where the multilingual lyrics that I incorporate in my songs come in. Seeing people from Europe, Asia, and Southern Africa singing my songs, regardless of what language I am making the song in, is so great. It’s an inspiration for me to keep producing music like that and exploring the heights at which I can express myself some more.”
(DB):
“That’s amazing. Let me ask you something about that actually; how do you think the music is different from Zimbabwe to Botswana? Or do you feel like you found that perfect bridge between the two places?”
(JM):
“I take textures from Botswana and Zimbabwe and incorporate them into my music because they both feel like home. So I take those two and make like a mixed masala of the vibes. It was mostly experimental at the time because I thought to myself, like, ‘oh wow, this could be dope.’ In the beginning when I tried to piece it together, the vision was a bit blurry, but once I managed to get the right blends together, it came out better than I could have envisioned.”
(DB):
“That’s amazing. My dad is from one country and my mom is from another country and I’ve lived in both, so I know what that feels like in an alternative way. Like being part of both at the same time. How do you feel your upbringing and travels have shaped who you are as a musician?”
(JM):
“My parents listen to a lot of gospel music, so I have what I like to call an ‘unhealthy obsession’ with harmonies. My producers always come at me because I stack layers of vocals until it comes out how I hear it in my head. And because I hear these things in my head, I sort of have to translate it for others.”
“My main mission would be like, okay, I need to paint this picture as vividly as possible so they understand the gist of what it is I’m going for. And this stems from that. I was also born into a very musical family, so I was exposed to a lot of musical influences, textures, and all of that excited me. I couldn’t pick just one that I could say this is my personal favorite. In my mind, I like to think I make travel music, like let’s hit the road and vibe. I like to take people on a journey in that way, and having different musical tastes helps me paint that picture.”
(DB):
“That’s amazing. For me, when people mix certain stuff to create things that we haven’t heard before, that transforms the whole music scene so much… Do you think your sense of style reflects your music? Do you base your style on the type of music that you are producing?”
(JM):
(JM):“Yes, I think everything about me, not just creatively, but intellectually, is a portrayal of what I look like on the inside. So if you notice the way I dress, it’s very unique. I like to accentuate a lot. So you could say that the accessories I put on, you could compare them to the harmonies that I put in music. I always put very unconventional harmonies, like the type that catch you off guard.”
“… but I don’t like to be predictable with my fashion. I like the element of surprise, walking into the room and making all the heads turn. But I grew up in a city, so a lot of people are exposed to a lot of urban styles. However, there are certain groups of people that do raise their eyebrows and try to figure out what’s going on. I wouldn’t call it judging, but maybe it’s more of them misunderstanding rather. There’s a lot of catching up to do from people like that… I hope that answers your question.”
(DB):
“It’s amazing to see musicians as talented and insightful as you are. I’ve been obsessing over your music this morning, actually. You have such an authentic sense of style and you do a great job of reflecting who you are. So… I know you love to perform live. What’s your favorite instrument to play live?”
(JM):
“My favorite instrument is the acoustic guitar. It’s also the easiest to write to because I started off writing music off of a guitar. You could say it was like a mission impossible situation when I wanted to experiment because my cousins were musicians, they were in a band, and they would lock up their instruments, I’d have to figure out how to break in and like go learn some stuff and play the guitar, so I’ve got a special relationship with the acoustic guitar.”
(DB):
“That’s amazing. Such a talent. Alright, last question for you here. Who would you love to have as a featured artist?”
(JM):
“There’s a friend of mine, her name is Gemma Fasi, and I really love her stuff. She’s got a very soul-ish R&B style. There’s also Muneyi, he’s more pop, alternative. Also, a friend of mine called Anything with Yusef as well. He’s from back home in Botswana. All pretty dope individuals.”
“Thank you everybody for listening! Signing off here, my name is Jordan MoOzy and you can catch me on all my social media handles, @jordanmoozy everywhere and I look forward to connecting with you all!”
//
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