Young T celebrates birthday with a new single, sets record straight on ‘provocative’ cover

Singer and producer Young T recently celebrated his 34th birthday with a new single, ‘Asante’, which took over social media after he uploaded the cover artwork.

In an interview with The Namibian yesterday, Young T shared more details on the single and plans to quit the music industry.

“I had to release my new single on my birthday on 1 March. My new age is very significant, so I couldn’t pick another date for its release.”

The title of the new track, ‘Asante’ means thank you in Swahili.

“On the song, I’m saying, ‘Asante mungu wangu’, which means ‘thank you my Creator’. That is me thanking God for all he has taken me through and for the privilege of ageing and having necessities like food, water and clothing. It represents many of us too, not my life alone,” he said.

He added that he always acknowledges the fact that people live by the grace of God, whether they are rich or poor, everything belongs to God.

“He created the earth, and we found everything here. From food to clothes to cars, everything comes from the earth, we only modify what God has already put on earth for us,” Young T said.

He did the beat production and recorded the song himself, like most of his songs, he added.

“It takes me very long to complete a song. I have been becoming faster and better. I did it in less than an hour at our new UGU branch in Ongha, which is run by me and emerging producers of T.A. and Kid OG.”

He has plans to shoot a music video for the song, as well as music videos for other songs, he said.

“I cannot disclose too much before completion, but it will definitely be done by my team, VMan Films and the UGU team.”

‘Asante’ is the first single on his upcoming album to be titled, ‘Rebirth: The Reincarnation’, which symbolises a new start in his life, he said.

“My last offering was ‘Rest, Reset and Restart’, so this album is me starting over again, hence the name ‘Rebirth’.”

Young T plans to release the album at the end of May and it already has plenty of “beautiful songs” for people’s ears, he said.

“I’m not sure about the number of songs yet, because I make music every day. I worked with Latino and Pro-Humble production wise.”

PROVOCATIVE COVER ART

Since launching the new single, Young T has been mocked by some social media users for posting almost an half-naked photo as the cover but he says the artwork has significant meaning.

“I always like to say something with my art cover. That was simply done for ‘Asante’. I have two more singles coming, with artwork matching their messages.”

“Spiritually, 34 is like being one year old again because the first spiritual time lapse for a human soul is 33. After age 33, we begin a second lap until we reach age 66. So, the art is symbolising a newborn baby because I’m 34, and that is like my second birth. Spiritually, I have been cleansing my spirit too and reconnecting to my Creator like I am a baby again. That is very significant too,” said Young T.

“I will most definitely never be naked at a photo shoot. That’s definitely a Photoshop edit. The message is that we are all born without anything, and when we die, we shall leave without anything,” said Young T.

“As for the reaction, my songs are always well received; I’m blessed. Whoever does not connect to the song is most definitely not ready to join us on this journey of spirit finding and deep wisdom searching, which is okay with me. We are not the same as human beings.”

RETIREMENT

Young T said he the idea to retire came after realising that being a musician puts one in a room called ‘the industry’, where a lot of dishonesty and selfishness are the norm.

“That is not who I am. I hate cover-ups and fakeness, so it was difficult for me to remain around such things.

“I, however, have been receiving a strange energy that I’m not done speaking and spreading the truth to the people of God through my music. It couldn’t let me rest. I couldn’t stop making motivating songs for my listeners.

“Also, everyone honestly showed me how my music helps them go through situations. I had to rethink.”

However, Young T wants to break out of ‘the controlled music circle’ completely, as he has illustrated over the past two years.

“But before that, I’m planning to use my music as a platform where people can find the truth that mainstream musicians are afraid to show or tell because of the apparent norms of being a celebrity. I want to give people hints on factual wisdom and facts of how the Creator would want to see us live and engage without society’s limitations,” said Young T, adding that this will be a year of changing “stereotype perspectives into factual viewing” for many.

“It will be a fun, yet roller coaster kind of year. I’m excited,” he said.