Singer and songwriter Elijah Kitaka has revealed that while he is willing to write music for other artistes, he does not sell his songs because of the personal connection he has with his work.
Kitaka, who has established himself as both a singer and songwriter, said his songwriting is largely driven by personal experiences, memories and emotions, making it difficult for him to part with songs he has created for himself.
“I can also write for another person but I don’t sell my songs. I just feel and write for someone,” he said.
The artiste explained that his creative process often begins with thoughts and ideas that may not necessarily be suitable for a broad audience.
He described his initial perspective as a “perverted point of view”, but said he deliberately packages his ideas in a way that allows people of different ages to enjoy his music.
“I like to make music when someone can listen to it with a kid, so I package it uniquely even though my mind speaks differently,” Kitaka said.
Kitaka said it is difficult for him to identify one particular song as being more personal than the others because each piece is connected to a particular period or experience in his life.
“I feel like all are personal because each song has its own moment,” he said.
He cited Ekyange as an example of how he draws inspiration from memories rather than necessarily writing from his immediate circumstances.
The song, he explained, was partly inspired by memories of his high school days, including trips during which he and his classmates spent time socialising and having fun with girls.
“I reminisced about that kind of vibe, the innocent us,” he said.
Although Kitaka prefers to retain songs he writes for himself, he said he is open to recording music written by other songwriters.
The singer said accepting another writer’s work can add a different creative perspective to an artiste’s music.
“Yes, I can accept to sing another writer’s work because you can’t do everything on your own. Sometimes you need someone else’s touch and hand,” he said.
For Kitaka, however, the distinction lies between collaborating with another artiste and selling his own compositions.
He said he can write specifically for another performer when inspiration strikes, but does not view his songwriting as a business in which he sells completed songs to the highest bidder.
