- Title: GUINEA: Blind Guinean artist beats the odds to master a love for music.
- Date: 14th February 2013
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (French) SEILAND KUTCHI, GUINEAN MUSICIAN SAYING: "I never thought about putting out a first album. I now see myself on the other side. Because I always think about what I say to artists in the studio when I am working with them, because I am often hard on them when we are working, and now find myself in their place, I cannot afford to make mistakes." POSTER OF KUTCHI (SOUNDBITE) (French) SEILAND KUTCHI, GUINEAN MUSICIAN SAYING: "Musically, my style and the musical notes that I play, or any other comparison that may be made, like the way someone sings, I am very much inspired by Michael Jackson." KUTCHI GREETING SOUND ENGINEERS (SOUNDBITE) (French) MADIOU DIALLO, SOUND ENGINEER SAYING: "You need to be on top of your game in order to work with him, because he plays instruments and he is also a music producer; he sings, he does it all. So if you work with him, you need to know what you are doing, but it's also hard to find a musician who can play music like Seiland does."
- Embargoed: 1st March 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Guinea
- City:
- Country: Guinea
- Topics:
- Reuters ID: LVA81GJ0UR82CIHZ3IPJ8LNXH6S0
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- Story Text: Seiland Kutchi is a Guinean musician, singer and composer who has become famous in his country and beyond over the last 20 years, despite losing his eyesight when he was just six years old. Kutchi has built an international music career that has earned him a reputation as Guinea's answer to multi-award-winning American crooner, Stevie Wonder.
Guinean musician, Seiland Kutchi is working on his first solo album known as 'mbagbama' or minibus taxi, at a studio in downtown Conakry.
Kutchi is a household name in the Guinean music industry, known for his talent in producing and composing music for some of the country's biggest names such as Bambino, renowned Guinean traditional singer.
But lately, Kutchi's new sound which is influenced by blues, jazz, as well as reggae and pop is gaining popularity and the artist is appealing to many fans.
For many, Kutchi's accomplishments are even more remarkable because he is blind, but the musician says he has never allowed physical disability to stand in the way of his dreams.
Kutchi says that the many years he spent behind the scenes working and developing other artists inspired him to produce his own album.
"I never thought about putting out a first album. I now see myself on the other side. Because I always think about what I say to artists in the studio when I am working with them, because I am often hard on them when we are working, and now find myself in their place, I cannot afford to make mistakes," he said.
Born in Sierra Leone in 1978, Kutchi became blind at the age of six, after suffering from an unknown childhood disease.
Kutchi fled Sierra Leone to Guinea in 1995 after civil war broke out in the country, to pursue his dreams of becoming a musician, and follow in the footsteps of his music idols, Michael Jackson and Bob Marley.
"Musically, my style and the musical notes that I play, or any other comparison that may be made, like the way someone sings, I am very much inspired by Michael Jackson," he said.
For sound engineer, Madiou Diallo, what makes Kutchi a great musician is that he demands the best from those he works with, as well as himself.
"You need to be on top of your game in order to work with him, because he plays instruments and he is also a music producer; he sings, he does it all. So if you work with him, you need to know what you are doing, but it's also hard to find a musician who can play music like Seiland does," Diallo said.
With his reputation as a well sought after music producer already cemented, many of his devoted fans were eager to hear the voice of the man behind some of the country's best music.
"You can ask any Guinean artist, whether a local one or one who is based abroad, and he will tell you who Seiland is. He will tell you that there has never been anyone bigger in the Guinean music industry," said one Conakry resident Nweny Stephane Haba.
For some fans, Kutchi has great potential to become as good as some world famous musicians like Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles who have also gone to become global music icons.
"Seiland Kutchi reminds me of the American singer Steve Wonder, or of the other blind French singer who often sings with Mory Djeli (a local artist). He (Kutchi) is really someone to look out for, and we need to support him," added Black Sow.
Kutchi's concerts often held in selected clubs around Conakry, usually sell out as many of his fans come to see him interpret popular cover songs, as well watch him play instruments such as the guitar and drums.
Kutchi plans to release his debut album by the end of this month. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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