Katlego Ntirang better known by the stage name “Dato Seiko” recently treated her fans, friends and family to a private listening session of her debut project “Grace Effect” with a release date yet to be confirmed.
Dato Sieko who is not new to the music scene, has previously worked with the likes of Dj Kuchi, Chef Gustos and now Mpho Sebina as well as Thato Jessica for her debut project.
In an interview to learn more about her, Dato Seiko said: “I’ve always wanted to put out my own body of work because I felt like I have a lot to say through my music. I am a genre fluid musician, who just makes all kinds of music and I don’t believe in categories.”
“I started singing since my consciousness, and I haven’t stopped since. Music has always been a vital part of my life, mainly because I come from a musical family. It has always been my way of expressing myself. I was always the child that never talked about emotions, so I used Music as a way of me communicating how I feel.”
The extended play (EP) which is called “Grace Effect” has features from the likes of Mpho Sebina, Thato Jessica and Jordan Moozy. It was produced by Sandi Ncube.
On what motivated her to do an album and what inspired the theme/message of the album, Seiko said “it took me 5 years and I was born on the 5th, hence the title Grace, because biblically 5 is the number of Grace. The theme is Yin and Yang, if you notice my dress code is mostly black and white. The EP tells a story of the ups and downs of so many love stories.”
As an artist with a debut project there were lessons that were encountered during creation of this project. “That patience is important, take time with your craft and don’t be afraid to start over and over again if you are not satisfied with what you’ve written. It’s important to balance the external pressure so you don’t end up rushing yourself,” said Seiko.
Seiko also says she has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. “Apart from the fact that the industry seriously got a hit, the pandemic really blocked so many opportunities across the border. But it taught me that everything is unpredictable and I always have to have a backup plan. They’re so many ways to reach out to the world and I started taking social media very seriously. It’s all coming together and I believe next year will be a whole lot better,” Seiko said.
Seiko is yet to select a release date, but says she will “be putting the EP up on all streaming platforms, as well as selling a limited amount of hard copies.”
