Jay Melody speaks on writing songs for Willy Paul and other top artists

Tanzanian singer Sharif Said Juma popularly known by his stage name Jay Melody has revealed penning songs for top Kenyan and Tanzanian artists.

In an interview on Radio Citizen’s Mambo Mseto, Jay Melody revealed that he wrote 'Njiwa' where Willy Paul features Nandy, Nandy’s 'Kivuruge' and Nadia Mukami’s ‘Nitadata’.

“Katika hustling za kutafuta riziki nliandika wimbo unaoitwa Kivuruge na huu wimbo ukapata bahati ya kuimbwa na Nandy na kuanzia hapo watu wakaanza kunitambia kama mwandishi na nkapata nafasi ya kuandika nyimbo nyingi,” Jay said.

"(In my hustles to make ends meet, I wrote a song titled Kivuruge which luckily was sung by Nandy and from there I got recognition and the opportunity to write more songs)" Jay said.

The 'Nakupenda' singer revealed that he made a name for himself thanks to his sharp pen skills which he said enabled him to cross from writing to singing which was part of the reason he took a while before he released his own songs.

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“Ilikua biashara ambayo nlipata pesa kwenda kurekodi studio, hata simu ya kwanza kununua nlianzia apo, nliandika wimbo wa Nandy nkapata pesa nkanunua simu,” he noted.

"(It was a business from which I got money for studio sessions and even my first phone was from the money I got from writing a song for Nandy)" Jay noted.

Why Jay Melody quit writing music for other artists

Despite being widely sought after to write songs for other artists, Jay revealed he shifted to now doing music partly because he was not appreciated by those he wrote songs for.

“Zamani nlikua nacomplain kwanini watu hawanitaji lakini kwa sasa nimeacha kwa sababu hata kuandika siandiki kabisa. Pia nliacha kuandika kwa sababu wasanii wakubwa kwa sasabu wasanii unawaandikia lakini hawakubali uliwaandikia na kwamba walitulipa vizuri” Jay noted.

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"(Before I used to complain why I was not being credited but right now I stopped, I even dotn write anymore, I also stopped because big artists don't appreciate that you write for them.)" he noted.

Jay Melody’s 'Nakupenda' and 'Sugar' have become hits with 2 million and 11 million views on YouTube respectively.

The singer is in the country and is slated to perform at a Nanyuki event.