Interview: Treesha

By Franck Blanquin on Saturday, October 24, 2015 - Photos by Franck Blanquin - Comment

"Skarra Mucci always wanted to produce an album with me"

Sampler

Kenya-born and Germany-based singer Treesha started singing in school and in church. After moving to Germany she was discovered by Gentleman and joined his Evolution Band about three years ago. But while on tour she met talented singjay Skarra Mucci who believed in her talent and signed her on his own label.

Franck Blanquin talked with Treesha in Paris in June while she just released her debut solo album Listen on French label Undisputed Records. It collects 15 tracks offering mostly modern reggae, but also a few slices of R&B, ska and lightweight dancehall.

Treesha

Can you explain your first step in the music?

I started out with music from school at the school choir then later moved to Germany where I tarted singing at restaurants and that's when I realized I wanted to do this professionally.

How did you worked on the album?

Producers sent me instrumentals and then depending on my mood and vibe I recorded something on it, naturally after I liked the instrumental. Then I picked out which songs would fit to be on the album and which would still need to be worked on and that's how the album came up.

Why is the album so different in terms of music?

I would say its different, especially reflecting on most people response, because it is not a typical reggae album. The first song is straight pop mainstream nothing about it has anything to do with reggae. And the vocals and style on most of the songs is pop R&B which is not so typical for a reggae album.

Can you explain the recording of the album and the choice of those producers?

Treesha I recorded the album starting late 2013 during and after the tour with Gentleman. His band "The Evolution" came up with the idea of working together and that's how the album "Listen" started off. I have known the band for a while now and I respect them as musicians and producers and that's why I decided to work with them. I had already worked on a song with Giuseppe Coppola aka Big Fingah from the Evolution prior joining the band so was looking forward to working on an album with him and the rest of the band. Later down the line I got some instrumentals from some producers through Denham Smith who co-wrote the album with me and that's how it came about.

The album is produced by Skarra Mucci and released by Undisputed Records? Why did you worked with them?

I decided to work with Skarra Mucci because he believed in my music and always wanted to produce an album with me and he believed in me as an artist so it was a great choice to work with him and Undisputed Records who he has been working with for a while now.

Can you explain the choices of the featuring?

I chose to work with Denham Smith mainly because we have been working together for years he has helped me a lot musically and lyrically especially since he is from Jamaica and understands the music more than I do which is why it was a perfect combination bringing two musical artists with different musical backgrounds together and is a brilliant producer singer and songwriter as well. And with Skarra basically more or less because of the same reason and I rate him as an artist and we wanted to work together for a long time since we met 2 years ago at Reggae Sun Ska festival.

What are your projects for the rest of the year?

I am currently on tour with Gentleman. I want to start recording new material soon. And hopefully I'll be on tour with my album "Listen" soon.

We also talked with Inity from Undisputed Records.

How do you choose which artist you are working with?

Everything is a balance between music & the human. As soon as we feel the two vibes with an artist we jump on it. [laugh] Most of all the projects were made with spontaneous vibes and for us maybe the best.

How can a label survive in 2015 ?

Well… The music alone doesn't work and specially the reggae production, the only way to survive is touring with artists of the label. No we are currently on tour for the album "Greater than Great" of Skarra Mucci so it helps us a lot to work on new projects like the album of Treesha.

What do you think of the 6 first years of the label?

More than positive, we never expected this amount of projects or great connections like this! Now the label is a stamp of quality and from the first release of the label [the track of Konshens I've Got To Go] we worked with Jamaican, American, Spanish, French artists on more than 30 releases with eight CDs, three LPs and three 7 inch singles….

What are the next projects?

The next projects of the label are the album "Revelation Time" by Million Stylez in October and the compilation "Raggamuffin Power" with some old stuff turned new, with artists like Million Stylez, Skarra Mucci, Tippa Irie, Yami Bolo, Joseph Cotton, etc. It should be released in November and made with the beatmaker Red Cat. We also have a new single with Gappy Ranks "I Rise" made with Damalistik released in September also and we will still be on the road with Skarra Mucci and the Rawkaz Clan.

And we'll soon go back in studio to record the new album of Skarra Mucci which we'll be released in early 2016.