Exposed Vocals Interviews Libi
I’m a soon to be twenty two year old, young woman who goes by the name of Lizeka Ketsekele. Most times, however, I am known simply as Lizzy or in some instances as Libi or Libianno. You may choose whichever you wish to use.
I am from South Africa and have never traveled outside of my country, but have had an obsessive interest in south-eastern Asian culture for many years now. That, as well as having been exposed to various genres of music from a very young age, has been the influence and inspiration for the diverse range of music I produce.
If I’m being honest, I will tell you that I have always loved and tried to participate in music related activities since as far back as I could remember. My very first dream and aspiration in life was to become a singer, but due to my ever weakening lung capacity caused by asthma and chronic bronchitis I had long given up that dream – that is until I stumbled upon something great. It was actually during the first week of this very year that I discovered a new output for my “musical aspirations” via the App “Music Maker Jam”.
I started making my own music from the very first day and was hooked by how easy it seemed. Little did I know of the difficulty of getting the music I produced heard by the right people but research and determination are what I hope will see me and my music forward. I have only just begun my musical journey and in the short time that I have been creating beats, I have realized a talent that has been undiscovered for far too long. It is now through Exposed Vocals that I am hoping to get my music heard.
It is within each of my tracks that one can truly discover the different parts of me. Even in words I cannot truly tell of my musical life and experience. From the twenty four tracks that I’ve created since the 4th of January 2016, many genres have emerged from within me which even I was not expecting to hear from myself. My very first song was a hip hop beat (and I’m not really the hip hop kinda girl:P (hehe)) but thereafter the beats just began to pour out of me like a heavy rain, and although not always perfect and oft times finished after long hours of struggling with a brilliant app on my not so brilliant android, I would always end up with something that was something, you know? I feel like this music thing…is a part of me that has been waiting to rise out of me for near two decades now. Finally I’ve found my musical voice and it only a matter of time before the world gets to hear it with me.
Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up?
Libi: I was contacted by none other than Randy Morano on twitter after I posted up my first song.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Libi:
Well, I am from South Africa and grew up in the city of Johannesburg. Having grown up in a city buzzing with a variety of people from diverse backgrounds, it was obvious that I would find myself exposed to many different styles of music. There was always the South African music like House, Kwaito, and our own style of hip hop – all music that we youngsters would listen to. And then there would also be the more ethnic music which would oft times have modern twist to it but most times just sounded good in its traditional forms. The mere fact that I grew up in a country consisting of eleven official languages and considered to be the rainbow nation should tell tale of just how diverse the music I grew up surrounded by was. As for the reason I decided to become a musical artist – aside from all my other art forms- well that’s simple; I love music.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Libi: I decided to call myself Libianno because I just loved that name. Originally I only used the name on a writing site that I’m active on but since I have begun a new chapter in my life, a musical one, I figured that I’d best stick to the name that my readers know and also one that isn’t too difficult to pronounce. I also just wanted to separate my musical self and just my creative self in general from my everyday self. My everyday self usually goes by Lizzy or Lizeka.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Libi: Honestly, I am a newbie to this entire music industry so many things scared me at first. Like sharing my music with the public, or just generally giving it away or posting it up. I hear so much about piracy and it’s such a common thing that my ignorant-self thought that I had to hide my songs so nobody could steal them and distribute them unlawfully an to my loss, but… I educated myself on the matter of online sharing and realized that by sharing my music I’m only opening up the ears of potential listeners and fans to my music. The sharing of my music isn’t a bad thing, but a good one that only serves to benefit me at the end of the day.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
Libi: I think I, myself, am in need of those tips as I am still a start-up.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
Libi: I have yet to perform any of my music so there isn’t yet a tale to tell in that regard. But I can say that there is still much for me to perfect in the production of my tracks and creation of my lyrics.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Libi: Um… I really don’t have any process in particular. It’s just a matter of playing around with the beats I’ve either yet to create or have already created and oft time what’s meant to come out will come out. I often sing loudly around the house, most time it’s all just nonsensical screeching but sometime a good melody emerges from the noise and I can write lyrics to it. My lyrics are relatable to myself in most cases but I recently began to write themed lyrics based on the requirements that an opportunity specifies. Lyrics aren’t usually my thing though, I’m more into producing music right now.
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
Libi: I don’t listen to embarrassing music so there should be none…oh, but wait… My playlist seems to be haunted by the random appearance of “I’m a barby girl” sung live by a member of a Korean pop group that I like. I don’t know where it comes from but the song just won’t leave me alone! I guess that’s embarrassing.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Libi: Firstly, I’m a business woman before anything else so definitely invest it in some way – I’d probably invest in real estate, low cost flats are a big thing here in South Africa. But, I’d also work on self-publishing a book and with the money generated from that, I’d work on increasing my the number of opportunities I can submit my music into – I’d definitely get myself all the recording equipment I need (my musical dreams have room for growth, I know)
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
Libi: (laughs) DEFINATTELY! All I have now is my Android and an app. I think a lot more is needed in the future.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Libi: I’m still working on that, honestly, but I do have a Facebook page which I recently started called Libi and the Music and you can find me on twitter @LizekaKetsekile. Otherwise I release my music on a near daily basis on the app I use. It’s called Music Maker Jam, get it, its brilliant! You can find me under the username Libi on the app’s community. I’m also on SoundCloud as Libi. YouTube is yet to come but right now I’m working on promoting my music on the above mentioned sites.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
Libi: Rather than perform with, I would have artists like Kelly Clarkson, Beyoncé, Freshly Ground, Micasa, Green Day, and a number of Korean groups like Big Bang and 2ne1 and 4minute perform my songs. I aim mainly to produce music and write accompanying lyrics to the music I produce rather than to do the actual performing of my music. I’m the “behind the scenes” kind of girl.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Libi: Whereas I was simply working on instrumentals up until recently, I have begun actively writing my own lyrics to the songs I produce. For now I’m just finding a style and rhythm that works for me, anything more will be revealed as it reveals itself to me.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Libi: (Laughs) More like when I’m not making music, what am I doing? I’m a fashion designer by profession who writes stories in her spare time and makes music in the moments that I take to breathe. I’m a busy woman, not yet where I want to be in all my art forms/professions but trying nonetheless.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
Libi: I don’t think I can remember that far back, there’s just been so much music over so much time and I loved and still love it all. To remember that far back would be a miracle for me.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Libi: It’s difficult to do everything at once but somehow I manage to pull it off at the end of most days. (Laughs) It’s really tough staying ahead both socially in terms of marketing one’s self and productively in terms of never falling behind on orders for my fashion, updates for my stories and the actual creation of my music. Some days can be too tough and I find myself with a migraine and a stiff neck as I lay on my bed and try to make a song worthy of listening to in my last moments before sleep. It’s tough… but what isn’t?
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
Libi: Anything and everything. Who knows what the world will throw my musical way as the year progresses? Hell, I didn’t even know that I’d be producing music in the year 2016 so we can only wait and see what the future has in store.