by Sabelo Mkhabela

C-Tea, a producer and vocalist from Ghana is on the come-up. He has songs by the likes of Sarkodie, Bolo J and Davido bearing his production credits. The man also recorded and mixed most of the Swazi rapper 80 Script’s EP You Do The Dishes (read our review here). C-Tea moved to South Africa in 2012, and recently released an EP called I’m Alive which caught our attention. We threw a few questions his way.

Interview done by Themebelani Gina

Who is C-tea?

My name is Jonathan Takyi Mensah aka C-Tea. I am a young afro pop singer and producer. Humble and I love God. I grew up in Agona Swedru in the central part of Ghana.

Tell us how you got or came up with the name C-Tea?

In secondary high school back in Ghana, my friends called me Cocoa tea just because I use to make the best Cocoa tea (hot chocolate) in school. I never expected nor loved the name but it stuck, so then I decided to shorten it to C-Tea.

You started off as a producer then branched into a recording artist. What inspired the move?

Growth was a big part of it; I did not want to limit myself to just only one aspect in my career since I had the passion for singing too.

What is the biggest challenge for you as a music producer?

My main challenge is the people that I work with. People tend to want the full job done but they don’t like to pay the required amount or the amount that you charge, therefore it is very easy to get ripped off, especially by people who have known you for a long time.

You have worked with Sarkodie, Bolo J and Davido. Are there more big names we should look out for in the near future?

Yes, there are big names but I would rather let that be a surprise for everyone and keep people guessing.

You are a Ghanaian artist based in South Africa, how have you been received by the locals, both fans and other artist?

The reception is good and I need to get myself to the people more to gain more fan base.

Tell us about your EP “I’m Alive”.

This EP basically gives you a clear understanding of who I am as an artist. It is versatile; there is a little bit of something for everyone. The EP came about when I actually started understanding who I am as an individual and what my purpose is. The title says it all, I am now alive and ready for whatever comes my way. I have now decided to be alive in music and not let myself die in my career by things that surround and distract me from being focused. I only understand that perfections will only exist when you constantly practice.

There are a lot of successful self-taught producers. How did going to school help your production?

I got to have more understanding on the little that I already knew and also got a better understanding of the business side when it comes to music. Going to school also got me more informed and made me more technical about things.

Take us through C-Tea’s Song making process?

Start by saying a little prayer, start-making melodies which gives me the idea I am going for while opening a new session. I then lay down the progression I got from the freestyle melody I was going for. I then build the drums, play the ideas that comes in my head and then the arrangement. After arranging, I then start recording the freestyle to get the melodies I am going for or sometime write the song and now find melodies to it. I then head on to record, believing in my heart that it’s good. I then export the raw song and listen over and over again for a couple of days to see what needs to be fixed or added, then I come back to finish to project