23 | Following Your Own Beat with Katanga Junior

In this episode of Through the Creative Door, host Alexis speaks with Katanga Junior, a Tanzanian-born musician whose work spans hip-hop, ragga, reggae, and indie folk. Known for his genre-blending style and creative flair, Junior shares what it means to him to create freely across styles, the inspirations behind his latest album Pamoja, and the challenges and rewards of collaborating with diverse artists. This episode dives into Junior’s journey, his passion for connecting with audiences, and the perseverance that shaped his most memorable works. It’s an inspiring look at the artistry and dedication that fuels his vibrant sound. 

If you’d like to see more, you can follow Katanga Junior on instagram; @ katangajnrmusic

 

This episode was recorded on 8 August 2024 on the lands of the Arrernte Peoples. We hope that this episode inspires you as a creative person and as a human being.

Thanks for listening, catch you on the next episode.

Psst! We are always on the lookout for creative people to share their story and inspire others. Have you got someone in mind who would love to have a chat? Get in contact with us via Instagram @throughthecreativedoor

 

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Creative resources from Katanga Junior:

Pamoja Album: https://open.spotify.com/album/4ElanTMjoXqNGMvLBeiYhg?si=X6XdNngVSvKoGTeawK2oxA 

 

Let’s get social:

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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ttcdpodcast

CREDITS

Created and Hosted by Alexis Naylor

Music by Alexis Naylor & Ruby Miguel

Edited and Produced by Ruby Miguel

 

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00:09 - Alexis (Host)

Hello, my name is Alexis Naylor and I am your host here at Through the Creative Door. On behalf of myself and my guests, I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians on which this podcast is recorded and produced. Owners and custodians on which this podcast is recorded and produced. May we pay our respects to all First Nations people and acknowledge Elders, past and present. On this podcast, I'll be chatting to an array of creative guests, getting a glimpse into their worlds and having some honest and inspiring conversations along the way. I'm delighted to welcome you to Through the Creative Door. 

Junior. Oh my goodness, this is so bloody exciting. I'm so excited to be chatting with you. You are such a goddamn vibe. Welcome to Through the Creative Door. 

 

01:04 - Junior (Guest)

Madam already here, thank you. Thank you for having me. I know your life is bad, good, good, good. 

 

01:14 - Alexis (Host)

Yeah, it's so good. So for the listeners that don't know you, they need to 100% get amongst it and listen to all your tunes because you are just a goddamn vibe. But the synopsis of Katanga Junior, you're Tanzania born and bred now established here in Alice Springs, but you are a multi-talented bear. You play drums, you rap, you sing. You sing so many different genres. You have this beautiful band of phenomenal humans who, just in their own right, are just amazing. 

 

01:55 - Junior (Guest)

Good people, yeah, good people. 

 

01:57 - Alexis (Host)

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I don't know. You just do amazing stuff. Everyone needs to check you out. 

 

02:04 - Junior (Guest)

They should. 

 

02:08 - Alexis (Host)

But, to start things off. We're going to start off with what does a creative space mean to you and why? 

 

02:18 - Junior (Guest)

Creative space. It's like where I create things, where, like peaceful, it's connected to me, I feel free to do whatever I want to do. Like that is creative space to me. It feel like no boundaries, you know, like when you get like just creating things and feel free to do anything. That's like a creative space for me. 

 

02:41 - Alexis (Host)

Do you feel like that needs to be a peaceful physical space, or is it more of a mental space for you? Do you think? 

 

02:51 - Junior (Guest)

I think it needs to be a peaceful place, because when I create, I like to be me, yeah, yeah. And after then it can be physical, you know, but for when I created, I like to feel and to be connected to what I'm doing yeah, yeah, yeah. 

 

03:09 - Alexis (Host)

And is is it like, do you need to have instruments around you or do you feel like you can just like? Create from thin air. 

 

03:20 - Junior (Guest)

It depends, so I always have my guitar whenever I'm writing songs, because I feel like sometimes I sing song, but I feel better when I have the guitar because it's shaped me in tune, because I feel my vocal is not on tune till I hear instrument, because when someone like tell me sing, now I can sing. 

 

03:40 - Alexis (Host)

Really no, no, I don't believe that at all, I never tell anyone. Guys don't say anything. 

 

03:50 - Junior (Guest)

Yeah, yeah. So it's like I need guitar or beat. 

 

03:58 - Alexis (Host)

Ah, okay. 

 

03:59 - Junior (Guest)

So that's where I feel like I need this and this, and then that's, and then maybe pen and paper, and then score done. But most of it is guitar. If I don't have guitar, I have to have beat. And then I can write, 

 

04:13 - Alexis (Host)

Bcause I know you play drums, yeah, yeah. Do you sing while you play drums? Or do you have to lay it down? 

 

04:19 - Junior (Guest)

Yeah, I kind of sing while I'm'm playing, but I never share it on stage. So my dream was like this year. I said maybe I should start playing drums to a couple songs. 

 

04:32 - Alexis (Host)

Yes, you should. Oh my god that'd be amazing. 

 

04:36 - Junior (Guest)

I did like a couple few weeks ago. I had to open the mic and everyone like said, oh, I never see you do this. I said, oh, I don't know. 

 

04:43 - Alexis (Host)

Oh but you're so good at it. 

 

04:45 - Junior (Guest)

Yeah, no, no, try not good at it. 

 

04:52 - Alexis (Host)

So modest, so bloody modest. 

 

04:55 - Junior (Guest)

Yeah, yeah. 

 

04:57 - Alexis (Host)

Now you have released some phenomenal music and it's so goddamn catchy, Junior, seriously so catchy, yeah. But for you personally, is there a body of work or a piece of work that you are the most proud of, and why do you think that is and how did it come about? 

 

05:19 - Junior (Guest)

Maybe I'll say two. Maybe the first song that established me, like Mapanzi Business is, like that's my main song. I always remember it's the song that take me, made me who I am till today. Because for what I'm singing the song to the story and everything to the song then it make people connected to the song before even know me and before even see me. Yeah, so to that Mapanzi Business song. And another one is Pamoja. Album is the things that I'm proud of. Like I, when I'm rapping in Alice Springs, I see, like so many talented people and art creativity. So everywhere I go and I love open mics because that's where I find people which I can collab with, I can jam on stage with and I can collab with, I can jam on stage with and I can just so when I rap in Alice Springs and I just keep with oh there's this guy, oh there's this, oh there's another one, oh there's another singer there.

 

06:13 - Alexis (Host)

I feel like we met at Jumping Jam. Yeah, yeah, yeah, years ago. 

 

06:17 - Junior (Guest)

Yeah, it is, it is and Pamoja album is something that I'm really grateful and I'm happy with that, because just collabing with so many artists in Alice Springs and I feel like even if I'm gone, that's my main thing I'm proud of, like collabing with so many people in one album.

 

06:40 - Alexis (Host)

It's a beautiful record. Those listening get amongst it. It's absolutely stunning. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah oh wonderful. On the flip side of things that we're proud of, or things that you're proud of, is there something over your career that has challenged your creativity? At all like and and do you think there's a major lesson that you've sort of been able to find from that?

 

07:11 - Junior (Guest)

Challenge. Oh yeah, maybe I said don't collaborate with so many people, you are rejected. 

 

07:19 - Alexis (Host)

The flip side of yeah, yeah, yeah. 

 

07:22 - Junior (Guest)

It's like, sit down on, talk to this person because I want to work with them, because when I work, it's like I've got the producer even as tell them like this is what I want to do and this and that, and even they didn't trust me for that project to work because it depends so many people in one project, like in one album, like I want a future, this guy, this, them, them, them a future because she's beautiful and she sings good, and this, this, and they're like too many people in one project. I think maybe it was the main challenge. I had to like take people out and bring them in, but I want to hear them, I want to sit down with them, I want to hear their vocal and I want because there's some people already locked in, but their vocal and one because there's some people already locked in. But it's like even the last day I had to give them the dead time and it's kind of like we got one hour before finishing. All of the people came that last day because I'd say, hey, today's the last day, please can you anyone who's coming? If you're not coming today, you're getting replaced by someone else. 

 

08:23

And the last hour we got a gig of hat day we playing for Desert Festival I think, and I got like a few minutes before I got to sound check and I got like four people so I didn't have even enough time to listen. And just sing, sing, sing and walk out. Another one come prepared, sing, sing, sing, walk out and walk out. And then we all me and the producer we were playing that same day, I think, yeah, and we had to walk out. I said we'll listen tomorrow and luckily, come the next day, everything's out. So that's the main thing, like I think maybe don't feel just too many artists in one project and then maybe that's my advice Otherwise. But now I'm really happy for what it is because I really like everyone, diversity to the music and everything. 

 

09:05 - Alexis (Host)

Yeah, do you think that a part of that challenge of having to work with so many competing calendars? And timelines and things like that, like do you think that that made you have to compromise your art at all, or were you able to still? It was more stressful, but were you still able to? 

 

09:24 - Junior (Guest)

Well, still nothing changed. So I think there's only one song. The other guys then pulled themselves out and I said I'll sing this one song, and I sing the song by myself, and the song won awards. 

 

09:35

This is the best song of the year. So maybe it was meant to be that. And I never regret. So nothing changed, even if some days I know someone is coming but they're not coming. But I'm with the producer, I tell them okay, if they're not coming, I'll do this, this, this, this, this, this. So we never waste time, so I know what the picture I'm going to paint. So it's like, even if they're not here, so I'll fix this, I'll fix that, I'll play another song, I'll do BV, I'll do this, I'll do this, I'll do this. So it's like, if you know what you're doing, you just leave that spot. Anyone can come and fill that gap, so you just do what you can do to finish the art, because it's your own picture. So you're drawing your own thing, yeah, and you're trying at the end of the day. 

 

10:30 - Alexis (Host)

Yeah, like what is the dream. 

 

10:30 - Junior (Guest)

What is your vision for the project and making sure that that actually comes to fruition? Yeah, yeah, yeah, it is and it's really it's. It's hard, but you end up like adding more hours with producer because some songs you already plan. This song is coming out next time, like next week, so if we don't finish today, it's like push, everything push everyone, because everyone is waiting, already pay the produce. They're mastering guys and this and this the mixing guys, so it's like you have to go, still focus on what you're doing. You know. 

 

10:59 - Alexis (Host)

So I know we touched on a little bit about at the start. When we talked about creative space, we also talked about the instruments and things that you know you like having around you. But when we talk about objects, do you have anything like sentimental or anything in particular that you sort of like having with you when you're creating? 

 

11:21 - Junior (Guest)

Oh, I don't know, I think maybe pen and paper. Let's just say that that's the main. I'm still like, got so many books, like journals, yeah, journals like this I write everywhere because even if I'm at work or doing the meetings, sometimes because it gets boring. 

 

11:39 - Alexis (Host)

Adulting. 

 

11:43 - Junior (Guest)

Or PD something for work. I'm also have another job to cover everything up. So it's like I'll PD there and you feel like the way this going it's too much, so right here. And so it's come challenge me. One day I said I want that something. I write that day. So I just go through 20 books, I'm just looking for one thing and I open, and I open until I find it. 

 

12:05 - Alexis (Host)

Do you date them or like nah, you just write them and then get another one, nah. 

 

12:11 - Junior (Guest)

I don't. Because I write. I used to challenge myself sometimes I write every day. So even if I write dates, it's like I write everywhere. 

 

12:22 - Alexis (Host)

I love this. I love that challenge. I don't know if I could do it yeah I, I think I could do it for maybe a week and then yeah, yeah, yeah, it is sometimes like I just follow my brain telling me to do so, that's all. 

 

12:35 - Junior (Guest)

When I'm creating things, I don't create what people want me to create, so I create what I want. So it's like this week I'll say like, okay, what am I doing? It's like learn this and this and this and follow it, and I don't limit myself like only do this way or this way, this way, try so many different way, and which way to work? So, yeah, yeah, most. Let's go back to the question. So I use pen and paper the most. Yeah, and they're everywhere yeah, I

 

12:57 - Alexis (Host)

I love this Now, junior, if you could give one piece of wisdom, one nugget of advice to another creative, what would it be? 

 

13:12 - Junior (Guest)

Just do your best and don't limit yourself like you. Some people I see they limit themselves. They just kind of like go in one way so you can just try so many different things and see how it work and so many way. There's so many way of making things, of learning things and creative way. But do what you want to do. Whatever you want to do, just try and go with it and see at the end the result and if it's not working, just stop for a bit and go back again and look at it and see how it feels, how it sounds, where it's going. And yeah, not big advice, but do what you can do to do your art and don't limit yourself of what you can do. 

 

13:54 - Alexis (Host)

Oh, that is perfect. That is perfect, it's so true. It's so true. If someone wanted to do what you do, it's so true. Yeah, if someone wanted to do what you do, what advice would you give in regards to like resources or books or podcasts or courses or like? Is there anything that you have found for your music business or you as a creative in your artistic you know development? Yeah creative in your artistic, you know development. Yeah, is there anything that you've sort of? Lyou know you'd advise would be a good starting point for somebody else.

 

14:32 - Junior (Guest)

I just say, like it doesn't matter what you're doing, just be good at what you're doing, just practice and practice. And even because, and know what you're doing, be good at what you're doing, just practice and practice. And even because, and know what you're doing, be good at it and know what you're doing and know what you want at the end of it, like it doesn't mean that I know what I want. 

 

14:56

Sometimes things change. It's like just don't look at other people what they're doing, just look yourself what you want to do. It's like many people are going to compete with other people and many people like think, oh, I want to be like this guy, I want to do like this, I want to do so you end up follow people what they're doing. You end up forget what you're doing and like you have to know what you want and what you want to do at that time. So don't look at other people what they're doing, just look at yourself, what you want to do and how you're going to do it and be good at it, because at the end of the day, they'll look at you if you're doing good and they'll come to join you. 

 

15:35 - Alexis (Host)

Very true, very true. One last question. If you could have any other creative come on this podcast and answer these questions, who would it be and why? 

 

15:49 - Junior (Guest)

I'd say maybe you have to interview Billy Black. 

 

15:52 - Alexis (Host)

So for those listening, Billy Black is a phenomenal guitarist here, based in Alice and plays with Junior, plays with lots of people. 

 

16:02 - Junior (Guest)

Yeah, yeah. 

 

16:03 - Alexis (Host)

Yeah. 

 

16:09 - Junior (Guest)

I think he shaped me a little bit because I believe in learning and work with the people who have the same ideas and what we want to do here. So he always say, okay, you have to know your things, and so he helped me so much to know more. It's not just like be there and just be there and go deep to it and Always so you always. I think we kind of think the same. But not he always say like oh, you did this well, today, because I was thinking about this, I say like once, everything is fine. We can all go the same way, like if I can feel the music, I can feel we can all go the same way. Like if I can feel the music, I can feel everything. We can all go the same way. So I feel like Billy Black is the right person to interview next, because he knows so many people, he travels so many places around Australia. World of experience and the world and so many things, so it will be good to connect with him, yeah

 

17:05 - Alexis (Host)

Oh my goodness, Junior, it is just such a pleasure chatting with you. Thank you so much for coming through the creative door. This has been the best! 

 

17:15 - Junior (Guest)

Thank you for having me. 

 

17:21 - Alexis (Host)

 

Thanks for tuning in for another episode of Through the Creative Door. If you enjoy our episodes and find value in them, consider supporting us by making a donation. Just visit buymeacoffeecom/through the creative door or via the link in our Instagram bio where you can choose an amount and even write us a little message. Every little bit helps and we truly appreciate all of your support. But if you can't donate, no worries, you can still help us out by sharing our podcast with your friends and family and leaving a review on your favorite platform. Thanks so much for being part of our community and we'll catch you on the next episode. Bye.