MUSIC GAVE ME A PLACE I CAN CALL HOME!!! Hints JML, a Gospel artiste!

TODAY  11/02/2015                                                                                    MSANII IBUKA

JML, an Eldoret based gospel artiste 

shares with us his life in ministry,

 the challenges he has gone through, the importance of having a mentor and

 gives a kind advise to fellow ministers.

writes Fredrick Nzomo

Getting into music industry is no joke. It’s no joke because it’s never easy. People get into music for various reasons. Scores of them like me cite talent, calling, passion; others got totally different reasons like fame, money, celebrity, street recognition or even to floss to their friends and colleagues that they are musicians. The above reasons or claims are not bad. They are all good depending on the perspective and dimensions you view them from. Just understand them from the basic point of view. But truth be told, it is the reason that lead you into doing music that determines your fate in the art. The reason or purpose is the main and the biggest determinant. Some people will start singing and recording today and I a couple of days, they are gone. Others start today and in the next 5 years, you will still find them doing music. I call that dedication. And for you to be dedicated then you must be patient, ambitious, passionate and hard working towards achieving your dream and meeting your goals in life.

JML

Well, today we publish an exclusive interview of a young man from ELDORET famed for the song KONGOI featuring RUFFTONE.  This young man talks about his life and music, the challenges he goes through as a gospel minister and as a youth, the importance of having a mentor, what the young budding musicians should know before signing recording deals and how the media is killing or promoting talent. This is the first interview where the artiste has opened up fully and given us what we haven’t gotten days. It’s a challenge to the artistes who wish to be interviewed by us. The bar has been set high up there, so up your game and we will tell your story. Read, be informed and be transformed. 

MULIKA :     So to start off, tell us about yourself briefly. 

JML :      Well my real names are BENJAMIN BIRECH stage names JML meaning JESUS MY LOVE I do gospel music.  I come from Eldoret, Kenya but I was born in Ziwa Uasin gishu county in a family of 3.

MULIKA :     How did you find yourself in music and why gospel?

JML :       I used to love music since my childhood and one day bishop BEN BAHATI hosted a crusade in Eldoret town , huruma grounds and Rufftone was the guest artist. I told them how I love music. They told me to sing and they saw a potential in me so Rufftone told bishop to take care of me and nature my potential since that day I was taken to LBDS music records where they natured my music talent until now. I have done my recent song with Rufftone called KONGOI

MULIKA :     when was this?

JML :      In the year 2014 is when I did the song ft Rufftone...but when they did the crusade and I got saved was on 2010

MULIKA :     what type/genre of music do you do?

JML :        I do hip hop, reggae, ragga and kapuka

MULIKA :    what can you say about your journey/life as a gospel artiste? Are you living your dream or is music what you wanted to do?

JMl :      Yes I am doing what I ever wanted to do. Music is me and I love doing it. It was one of my passions. I dream music I walk music everything around me is music.

MULIKA :    What drives you as a gospel artiste? Your inspiration, motivation, and generally in song writing?

JML :      First it’s the challenges of life what we go through on daily life, 2nd my music sometimes comes when am sleeping. I dream of singing a very nice song and its blessing so many people. others are getting healed and when I wake up am still singing the same song. long before I had noticed that this is a talent, I used to dream a very nice song and I could wake up in the morning only to find that I had already lost the song. I could think of it a bit later in the day and could not retrace it back coz I dint write it in a paper or record it on my phone but nowadays I know how to catch the rhythm  I can even wake up in the middle of the night and write songs. Also some of my music comes direct from the bible coz u must relate your music with the bible coz we are Gospel musicians.

MULIKA :     As gospel artiste and as a young man, what are some of your greatest challenges?

JML:      Number 1 is money because when you don’t have money you can’t meet your goals like doing a quality music and video.  Nowadays media need nothing but quality music and video.  Number 2 is when you are a super star and your music is playing on radio and TV people think you have money and you have no challenges.  I must say musicians are human beings we have feelings like other people sometimes we are up and sometimes we are down just like normal people.  Number 3 is women when you are a musician we have the challenge of being chased around by women even if you tell them that you are in a relationship they can’t understand.

MULIKA :    Off late we have crop of singers who claim that they are doing newskul gospel kind of music, but the society is disputing that. Apparently some people feel like we should stick to the old way of doing music. In song writing and the beats that are being used. What’s your take on this?

JML :    Well I must say music is music as long as it’s taking the message to the world and it’s the kind of a message that can change a life for a good reason not a bad reason be it secular music or gospel ...let me focus on gospel coz that is the side that is most affected by this..number 1 we are on a digital generation where by children don’t have to sit with you on the sitting room to watch TV programs with you they can easily access anything on their mobile phones the reason why we do Gospel music in this way is to be able to reach the gospel and win souls for the kingdom all age groups.

MULIKA :    let’s talk about music production and media. What do you think is the biggest issue facing Kenyan gospel artistes like you? What’s that one thing that is posing as a threat to budding musicians?

JML :     Well I must say the biggest challenge for musicians is after production they don’t know how to get there music on the media that's radio and tv...and this leads into killing someone’s talent. Number 2 is when an upcoming artist gets a connection to the media the media asks them to pay for it and yet they have not made anything from the song  coz they just released it . So this is the biggest challenge. 

MULIKA :     Apart from media what else? We have had young artistes complain of poor production by unqualified producers, artistes being duped /conned by promoters, and managers cancelling deals without a valid reason. What do you have to say about this?

JML :    Yes for sure when young artist go to the studio for them to produce their music they go to these big studios to produce their music not knowing that it’s not the studio producing music it’s the producer doing so, I must tell you young artist that when you go to the studio look for a specific producer not the studio coz the studio might be big but not the producer ...nowadays also I must say for a young artist having a manager is not a bad thing but first do  you know the work of that manager??? please market your music first so that by the time you get that manager it shall be you giving that manager your conditions and what you want but if your an upcoming artist and you don’t have what it takes your manager might use you so bad so I would say market yourself first as an artist.

MULIKA :    Many artistes today have got no mentor. That special someone who has been there and can guide them, advise them, counsel them, encourage them and generally keep them on watch. Are musicians in need of mentors or they can do without them? What is the importance of a mentor? And do you have a mentor?

JML :     Well I must say for a musician to grow and be inspired you need to have a mentor, someone who has gone a step before you in fact much bigger step. As for me like I said earlier my mentors have always been Rufftone and Bishop ben Bahati may his soul rest in peace.  Bishop Ben was not only my Bishop because I go to his church but a personal mentor in terms of facing daily challenges musically, spiritually and financially. When I was going through challenges on producing my music I remember once when I had totally no money to produce my first music he saw my passion and helped me to produce my first song and later my second music until I picked up musically so for an upcoming artist you need one. Rufftone kept guiding me and encouraging me that I will make it someday and for sure now I can see the light after he took me to his studio Lampstand records and we did the audio and video of the song KONGOI.  My dreams came through now this song is doing well on radio and tv stations this is the benefits of having a mentor, someone who believes in you.

MULIKA :   What have you achieved today as a gospel artiste? That one thing that you always thank God for. And how do you overcome your challenges as well?

JML with the lingala ya yesu hit maker, PITSON

JML :    Many things my brother like being popular, being called to big events and rubbing shoulders with big artistes name them PITSON, RUFFTONE, NJUGUSH, DADY OWEN and many more. By the grace of God my music playing on big tv stations and radio stations without struggling to get them there and topping the charts on the best top ten. Also being nominated for big awards like 2014 best male artist Riftvalley awards
Best collabo of the year 2014 Riftvalley awards
Best promising artist 2013 East african music awardz
Best male artist of the year 2012 CGMA awardz
And now this year aiming Groove awardz as the best male artist Rift valley
And best collabo KONGOI JML FT RUFFTONE. Also this music has bought me a land, the home I can call my own.

MULIKA :     What are your future plans for your music career? where do you want to see yourself in the next 5 years?

JML:      Hehehe my brother I want to own my own studio work my music till I reach international not only East Africa I want to win those big awards.

MULIKA :     You hinted that you have a place you can call your own? Is this an indication that you are a family man?

JML :          Hahaha no I am not married yet but trusting God for one soon.

MULIKA :    Any advice to the uprising artistes like you? What do you have for your fans this year? Parting shot.

 JML :         Well for upcoming artist please go for quality music. Its better you save, get enough money and work on one single song that can lift you from nothing to something than doing many songs that will never be played on air media stations only go for quality. so its better you give them even a single song but quality again nobody has hever reached somewhere before starting from somewhere so where your now it’s not permanent you will reach your target someday all you need is patience and persistence keep pushing towards your dreams also link up with fellow musicians those who have gone a step ahead of you those are the people that can tell you do this so you can make..
As for my fans watch out for JML this year have got big this coming in store one single ft Daddy Owen called warrior. In the meantime keep voting for Kongoi on your local tv stations and radio stations. Be blessed and much love. To get me always call this number for events booking 0724124665 whatsapp message or call JML you can also add me on Facebook on JML KENYA MUSIQ or like my fan page JML MUSICIAN BAND

You can watch his new song Kongoi here.

Here At MULIKA ENTERTAINMENT we like giving our support the much we can to young, ambitious and passionate musicians with a promising career. I have to assure you that, you have what it takes to make it in everything you do. If others have done it, then why not you? You have the potential, just do it. For as they say, IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN ACHIEVE IT.

We as MULIKA FAMILY,wish JML all the best in his endeavors