Gqom and Afrohouse Producer Funky QLA Chats About His Latest EP “Dark or Durban” and His Sound Artistry
Born and based in Durban, Sphamandla Qiniso Ngema, known as Funky QLA, is a record producer and the #FreshPrinceofGqom who has earned his stripes having worked with the likes of DJ Lag, Babes Wodumo, Mampintsha, DBN Nyts, DJ Tira and SOX. His discography includes Atomic Gqom, dropped in 2017, and a collaborative EP titled Summer Banger with “iPlan” hitmaker Dlala Thukzin in 2021. Even with all these feathers on his cap, he’s shown no signs of slowing, displaying hunger that heralds the fact that he’s only just started with his new EP Dark or Durban.
Much like many self-taught record producers, from peers to progenitors, Funky learned the art of forging beats over the anvil of imitative creativity. Modelling his works after that of his influences in the deep house scene, he began sculpting his sound back in 2010.
“My inspiration came from all the music I used to listen to from leading DJs and producers like Black Coffee – pioneers of the game who’ve been there since the beginning. What encouraged me to make beats is the fact that I’ve always been a house fan and an avid listener of deep house. It eventually got to a point where I wanted to do it myself. So I began by creating songs after the tracks that were my favourite until I eventually discovered my way of doing music without it coming off as if I’m copying someone else’s.” he said.
With the festive season well underway and people getting into the spirit of decompressing after a long year, QLA has graced his listeners with a four-track EP titled Dark or Durban. With a playback time of 21 minutes, the studded project hosts features such as Dlala Thukzin, TNS, DJ Tira, and Skye Wanda, among others. A hybrid extended play decked with afro-house and gqom, the Durban native recounted the year-long experiences that came with the making of each song.
“Dark or Durban started slowly. “Uyingozi” came as a result of all the features being booked: Argento Dust, Zaba, and Kususa. We all came together in studio with hopes of doing something, and luckily a song came out of the experience. The song with Skye Wanda came from a simple phone call; I hit her up and asked her to come to the studio. That’s how “Ngiyekele” came about. The other two songs happened because the features and I got together and started vibing, like with “Izingoma Ezimnandi”. It was during the AMs and we were all vibing. One thing led to another in the studio, and that’s how the song came together.” he said.
Listen to “Uyingozi”:
When asked about his choice instruments behind the sound desk, he listed the guitar as one of them, citing the effect it has on KwaZulu-Natal folks, among other observations.
“When I make music, I like using the piano because that’s where you can find chord progression. Its range allows me to explore different chords so I can fuse emotion into the songs I’m making if, for example, I want to create a sad or happy mood with the sound. The guitar is also one of my other favourite instruments because you know with us Zulu people -we like anything with a guitar in it because it has that groove and zest. The other one is a saxophone because it does the same job and creates the same effect as a vocalist.” he said.
With different genres and cross-breeds being born now and again in the industry, QLA made a note that as a producer, he has been able to stay on par with the curve by lending himself as a “bridge”. By allowing himself to serve as a connecting agent between different spheres in music, he not only found that the secret to longevity is playing two ends against the middle but also knowing what works in all respective spaces and keeping what’s relevant to gradually ascend the ladder of evolution.
“Some important things to know is to always believe in yourself as a producer and to never look down on other genres. If there’s a specific genre you favour over others, try and create a bridge. For example, the kind of music I make now is a mixed bag of different genres ranging from elements of amapiano, afrotech and gqom to chords one would expect from R&B and jazz music. So, if you’re a producer, try to collect different parts from other genres and find a way to bring them all together in harmony. Who knows, you might even create a new sound and sub-genre that people will be willing to get behind and support.” he said.
Producers are infamous for never being picky when asked about the one particular song they love above the rest, and the struggle was just as evident for Funky. However, he did settle for a standout joint he made recently – “Uyingozi” with Argento Dust, Kususa, and Zaba from his new EP.
“The song is just different. People who know me understand me as a producer of gqom from Durban. So they were shocked when they heard the song because they didn’t imagine that I would ever create something like it and for it to actually sound good from a creative perspective and with direction also considered. So that’s the one song I cherish the most at the moment.” he said.
With Afrobeats having usurped global attention and having seized the hivemind of the international music-making village, Funky expressed interest in venturing into the genre sometime in the future.
“Afrobeats is the in thing at the moment. You only have to look at the numbers and the streams. It forces you to think outside and beyond. It would be nice to find myself working with the Burna Boys of the world. I think it would also let me know that I am growing as a producer.” he said.
Listen here: