Even though as a young boy he enjoyed music and dancing, never did 20-year-old Bertrand Arakaza imagine he would pursue music in life. In 2011, however, life became challenging for him after he failed to attend school due to financial hurdles. His mother was not working, and he had failed to get a job—the situation took a toll on his mental health. “I fell into depression. It brought me a lot of pain and I got sick mentally,” he shares. To cope with his illness, he began listening and indulging in music and that was when he picked interest. In 2019, together with a friend, while doing a remix of different songs, he realised that he could sing but didn’t like it, especially when it came to performing because he was too shy. Shortly after, he got sick again but when his mother asked what he thought could make him better, he just said singing. “I thought she would stop me from pursuing music like most parents do but she surprised me when she offered her full support and guidance,” he says. “Music can heal. The messages can heal but for me, I didn’t really mind the messages because it can be too much sometimes. I personally liked how it sounded to my ears, how it’s produced, and the vocals. That’s how I think it can heal someone,” he adds. In September 2020, he launched his music career using the stage name Bertreezy, a name inspired by his music icon Chris Breezy. He released his first single dubbed ‘Dark Skinned’, a true story based on how he was in love with a dark-skinned girl who is now famous. His other song ‘Balance’ was released in January and its video will be out today. “The song talks about a party life but the genre is pop, electronic, and afro-beat. My producer Josh has been helping in fusing these genres and guiding me,” he says. The youngster is dedicated to pursuing music for the next five years and with his background in acting for film and television, he hopes to merge his music with acting after five years. He also believes that upcoming artistes have the potential to grow if only they put in the work. “Upcoming artistes who don’t have management and enough support need to put in the work, you don’t just wake up a billionaire. Music is business too which requires hard work, and be open to advice, opportunities, and support.” “I’m trying to open up to other environments and sing about something else, like summer,” he says.
