Producer and DJ Ayanda Oratile Yumba, famously known as Yumbs sat down with BONA to speak on his journey in music.
Speaking to BONA on what inspired him to produce in South Africa, Yumbs said, “I grew up listening to a lot of Afro-Soul like Lira, Thandiswa Mazwai, Hugh Masekela and I would describe myself as more of a jazzy person,” adding, “My musical journey started from the church as I discovered my love for drums.”
He attended music school to learn how to read music and later pursued studies in sound engineering. However, he did not complete the program as he made the decision to focus on his career as a producer.
When asked to describe his sound in three words, Yumbs said, “My sound is melodic, harmonic and it sounds like heaven, as my sound is soft and my niche as a producer is I can play keys as I know what a musician wants to hear.”
Yumbs spoke on the challenges he has encountered in the music industry as a producer and expressed frustration with the lack of appreciation for the work of producers saying, “Some people don’t appreciate the work of producers and never understand why they want the most of the artist’s masters.”
Earlier this year, the producer formed an exclusive partnership with Warner Music Africa, marking a significant achievement in his career.
He says, “People should expect a lot of music that I have been working on for the past two years and I don’t think music ages and doesn’t sound outdated,” adding, “I’m working on an amapiano project alongside a joint project with Nomfundo Moh as well as my solo projects and a lot of international.”
When asked about the late rapper Riky Rick’s impact on the music industry, Yumbs told BONA, “I only started gravitated towards Riky on the song Sondela and it was an honour working with him given that I produced his multi-platinum selling single.”
He elaborated on how the late rapper’s dedication to empowering the youth inspired him to navigate the industry as a young professional, emphasizing the importance of asserting oneself in a competitive environment.
Additionally, Yumbs highlighted his admiration for specific songs, such as “Happiness” by Sarz featuring Asake and American rapper Gunna, as well as “Dali Wam” by Pabi Cooper and Nkosana Daughter.
In closing, Yumbs expressed his eagerness to collaborate with a diverse range of artists. He expressed interest in working with international stars like H.E.R., Chris Brown, and Ciara, while also mentioning local talents such as Thandiswa Mazwai and other artists he has previously collaborated with.
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