Big Sey in Gambia to launch new single ahead of debut album

Ahead of the album’s release, the UK-based act is in Gambia to promote the forthcoming album with the single 'Sugar Baby'. The singer has high hopes for the single, saying it will be one of the year’s biggest hits by a Gambian. The full album is expected to feature local as well as international artists, including musicians from Nigeria, the UK and Senegal.

Big Sey recently spoke to Gambian publication The Voice Vibes about his plans for the forthcoming album...

What are you doing in the UK and how does it have effect on your career­­?

Big Sey: It has everything to do with my music because when I went to the UK to settle down and build my career I found it easier to make it there because you have more opportunities and everything is accessible there.

What are the latest developments in your music career?

BS: I just finished work on my debut album so I am working on building a strong foundation on how to promote it in the Gambia. I did some videos and they will be coming out very soon. I also have a new track that I'm premiering in the Gambia on 17 April. It is called ‘Sugar Baby’.

Can you talk about the upcoming album?

BS: Well we have not come up with a title yet, but its recorded at GSC Record. Malang Fatty is the architect and we are looking forward to releasing it at the end of December or early January. It has 10 to 15 tracks.  We still have not decided because we have not chosen a venue yet but for now everything is under control.

Where is the launching taking place in the Gambia or the UK?

BS: We doing the first launching in The Gambia and then we might be having another one in the UK too.

How many albums or mix tapes have you release so far?

BS: This will be my first but I have been involved in albums like the All-stars Rhythm which consisted of several Gambian artists. 

What are the messages in your songs?

BS: Basically, it’s just daily life the things that people going through. We as artists have a responsibility of reaching out to the people. We should send messages to the people about how it should be and what it should be. That is trying to sensitize people on how to work together to develop ourselves and also guide the younger ones and this are the kind of message I spread in my message, in short it’s the tool I use to communicate to the people.

What would you call your genre?

BS: I do different genres and people brand me as a versatile artist because if you can see I flow on dancehall reggae, hip-hop beats and any other beat even afro-beats. It’s a mix of everything.

What is your connection with GSC Records?

BS: We are like family we are just not friends because we started a long way back to get to where we are now. The CEO of GSC Records is the one composing all the beats in my big tunes people have been dancing to when it come to Beurself music.

Are you officially signed?

BS: We just work for now as I told you the relationship is more than just a signed artist. It’s like a family, the bond is stronger than just signing for a label.

You recently won an award - what was it for?

BS: There is this company in the UK called Tesco, a huge company. They do an annual talent award which I was nominated to take part in. I came out second out of 29, which was an amazing experience for me.

How is it working with GSC?

BS: It’s great. It’s just like working with your family member. We have lot of fun together time but when we get back to the studio is business it’s comfortable and peaceful.

How do you see the music scene in the Gambia?

BS: Gambian artists are really doing good. I can remember when I was here. We got studio opportunities but then the effort was a bit lacking and at the moment I can see that Gambians are pushing it. It’s great for me because things are moving forward and the artists are really doing well.

Is Gambian music making waves in the UK?

BS: Well within The Gambian community, yes because the UK is huge and you have a multicultural mix of different ethnic groups from different countries. So the Gambia is just like the minority but within the Gambian community, Gambian music is what they proud of. YouTube is really helping because people are aware of Gambian music and now that we having our own channels. Like Interface Gambia TV and there is a guy called Sheriff Cham. He is really doing great pushing it so we celebrate Gambian independence and other occasion like our own cultural festivals etc. And you can tell people love Gambian music.

As an artist what are you doing to take Gambian music to the wider world?

BS: Well, I am doing it out there because I got the opportunity of crossing borders with people booking me left right centre and all I do whenever I'm there is to play my in language, my culture, my Gambia, and push the flag forward. I think it’s having an impact because who didn’t know about Gambian music before I meet them will certainly do.

As an artist do you think we should ban foreign music to take our music forward?

BS: I don’t think so, because because you need to at least have an understanding about how the developed world is doing their stuff, how they built their music. All we have to do is play more Gambian music and establish more Gambian stations and programs on radio and TV, but then leave the foreigners at some point to inspire us and give us the idea of how to proceed. We need togetherness to take the music to another level and to achieve our goals. All we need to do is to become one  and have the same voice and ear and then work together we don’t need to be on our own. We need to combine.

You said the music is going forward so what is stopping us from having an industry. We still have a music scene but what do you think is lacking?

BS: I think the main problem is communication and I thing we need to involve the government because that’s a huge step. It involves security and policies. We need to create a law whereby artists can get paid for what they are doing and in other to do this we need to set a platform whereby there will be like a team to look after that and in other to achieve that when we need the government. So we need to communicate because when I came I saw something here that’s is different people trying to do their own thing and build their own thing and thinking that it’s going to work that way. But we have a long way to go so we need to communicate between one another and support one another and involve the government.

What is Beurself Music?

BS: If you listen, the idea is just being yourself. That’s the brand. It’s just a name of a brand I am trying to build.  When I say a brand it involves a clothing line: jeans, shirts, shoes and caps.  It’s a business strategy I'm trying to push and that’s the name of the brand for the business.

So are you trying to make it a record label to sign artist?

BS: Well that can come along the way, but am not looking at that any time soon because building a record label and signing artist is a huge thing to do. In the meanime I am starting with the clothing and fashion line and then from there we will see what next.

A version of this interview was first published 8 April 2016 in the Voice Vibes