As a resident producer at Celebrity Music Studios in Gatsata, Jean-Blaise Kayayi’s typical day revolves around nurturing dreams of up-and-coming musicians. This however, comes with its own share of challenges, he told Moses Opobo.

Do you have a business name just like the artistes you produce?

Yes I do. As a producer, people know me as Jimmy Pro.

When and how did you start Celebrity Music Studio?

We opened it in 2008, in Gatsata, on Gatuna Road.

My uncle, Theoneste Rutayisire bought the studio equipment for me. He is a very experienced musician and I’m actually in studio working on his latest album. He does traditional music. Interestingly, he is not a music producer and up to now, he only sticks to singing.

Why a studio then?

He told me whenever he went to studios he was disappointed either by poor production or bad treatment. One day, he said enough is enough and started looking for information on how he could start a studio of his own. What gave him encouragement was when someone told him that he needed just a computer and software to start a basic studio.

How did you end up a producer?

Just like my uncle, I also liked singing and I’ve actually been singing before I switched to production. Like him, I also faced the problem of poor treatment in the studios that I visited, in that in some studios an upcoming artiste is treated like a child.

When my uncle bought a computer he called me and asked me to help him set up a studio. I went and saw the computer and software, but I knew nothing about music production!

I taught myself by memorizing what I had seen other producers do, and by watching some tutorials on YouTube.

By 2008, I had started doing some productions, but they were of low quality because I was still learning the basics and I did not have the right equipment and software. However, I learnt very fast because I loved it. I wanted something that would help me make my own music.

In production, everyday is an opportunity to learn something new. At Celebrity Music Studio, our mission statement is to help the young talent who do not have money to produce their music.

That is why we decided to build the studio in Gatsata, which is a poor neighbourhood. For such artistes, we try to find ways of helping them; we can record their music at a reduced price, or for those that are very talented, we give them a contract and sign them up.

Who are some of the artistes you’re working with?

Eric Mucyo, Engeneer Kibuza, Umutare Gabi, G-Battallion Crew, Lucky Joe, and Jeff Ataba, to mention but a few.

Any challenges?

The media prefers to focus attention on the big stars –musicians, while they ignore producers who work from behind the scenes to make stars. This makes it difficult for us to prove our abilities.

On the part of musicians, most young artistes face opposition from home regarding their choice of career, so they try to do it in secrecy. Parents have to understand that music is a serious business and a calling.

What’s your production style?

The first advice I give to all artistes who work with me is to not ask for auto-tune in their music, because it only ends in studio. No one can play auto-tune on stage. Auto-tune is not good for musicians because it’s not real. In music you’ve to be real and normal. You have to sing live on stage, in your natural voice.