Diteh makes music for himself, considering his emotion and environment.
Hi, Diteh! Can you tell us a bit about yourself? How are you coping with the lockdown?
Hello, my name is Eppe Findite, but I go by the stage name Diteh, which is more like an abbreviation from Findite, I am from Bayelsa State, but I live and do music in Lagos, you can call it a lifestyle. I like getting hurt sometimes so I can write crazy songs about it, lol. I am two sides of the same coin, I can be good and I can be bad; depending on the time and place, don’t forget to add a little naughty to that.
What was growing up like for you?
Growing up to me was quite dramatic, my dad likes football, so a lot of kids were in the picture, and I am the second to the last child out of 18 children. I loved the attention of always being taken care of, but almost drowned once due to lack of supervision, but that’s a story for another day.
What kind of music did you listen to, growing up?
I listened to what was played to me. My dad loved Marvin Gaye, Bob Marley, Bryan Adams, and my Aunt Nelly also introduced me to some Lucky Dube (not that I wanted to be introduced) she just kept playing it on repeat, and trust me, that was annoying.
Did your early music experiences influence you to start creating music?
Yes, definitely, yes. I loved the idea that you can sing something, then it plays back to you whenever you want it to. Most of the time I felt whenever I played a Bob Marley song, he had to go into the studio and start singing live for me, I felt honored until I knew it was a recording, so yes, I was inspired by melody and good music.
When did you start creating music? When did you start pursuing it professionally?
Started music professionally in 2019. Been creating music since I was a kid.
Who & what inspires you to make music now?
I love Afro music and my inspirations are many, so I will mention some. In the likes of Ed Sheeran, Bob Marley, Davido, WurlD, Wizkid, Asa, Chris Martins.
Do you play any musical instruments? Can you produce and engineer yourself?
I don’t have any instrument I play well at the moment, so my instrument is mostly my vocal energy, and yes, I can produce and record myself if I have no producer on ground it might suck a little though.
When you create, what’s your process like? What are some things you do to get into the zone to create?
I create music based on experiences and mood, I don’t have a specific time I write or go to the studio, I go with the flow, if my heart feels like something is cooking, I let it out and let it guide me to the melody, so I start creating in my head first.
Do you make music for yourself or does your audience influence your direction?
I make music for myself first, because it’s how I feel, others can be out there with the same experiences as me, and they enjoy it because they can relate.
Have you ever performed on stage? How did it feel?
Yes, I have, several times and it was amazing.
How is support from your family regarding your music?
My family never really believed I had talent in music, so growing up to the idea of music was pretty hard for me, but I believe they can see who I am now with love in their hearts.
What has been the most challenging aspect of your career as an emerging artist?
The most challenging aspect has been the acceptance, that I must say, when you create, you can never really convince people to listen, but when they do listen, it sticks and the rush is amazing, so yes, and I can’t also forget the sleepless nights.
Will you rather be independent or sign to a record label right now? Why?
I would rather be independent, because that gives me the chance to be me and do what my heart wants, a record label is always a good idea, because they take most stress from you, but at the end of the day, I prefer to be independent.
What have you learnt the most so far in your music and life journey?
What I have learnt so far is, nothing good comes easy, sometimes it feels like nothing good is happening, but when I look at where I am coming from, I believe there is progress and as long as I continue to work hard, good things will keep happening.
Many artists have distinctive visual brands. What would you say is your fashion style? Do you have a stylist?
My brand is more of dark soul, I love dark colors, and most of the time I like styling myself towards that road, I like uniqueness, you need to be able to single me out of the room, and FYI I love Billie Eilish style, as well as WurlD, it’s soulful.
How frequently do you release music? What influences your decision on when to drop music?
This is the very first project I am dropping in a long while, but I tend to drop every two months, to keep the buzz going.
What was the idea behind Closer?
Closer is simply a fantasy, the feeling you have when you walk into a room and catch the gaze of a beautiful lady, and just can’t help but imagine what you can do if you all were alone…. (Lady in red-ish).
If given the chance, would you: Reinvent the wheel or build a new chariot?
I love the chariot am riding on. Besides, these horses are willing to go on and on, so there is really no need to drop off.
What’s the goal for you? What would a successful career for you look like?
A successful career would be me seeing myself grow and get recognized, get to collaborate with some amazing people, and keep the flag flying for my country.
Would you take a 9 to 5 job to supplement your income – do you currently have a job – or do you do music full-time?
I do music full time, but I definitely have side plans for the future.
Where can people reach you on all platforms?
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jasoneppe. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diteh_etaily/
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