Tanzanian singer Diamond Platnumz becomes a Universal Music Group (UMG) artist, having signed a recording deal with UMG South Africa.
Platnumz becomes the first East African artist to sign to the music group.
Welcome to the family Mr Platnumz.
— U Music South Africa (@UMGSA) February 2, 2017
The singer and performing artist has also recorded new music with International act Neyo, and is currently promoting this.
Diamond admits to being a fan of Neyo and was excited to meet and see him perform live at the 2015 MTV Africa Music Awards. That was actually where they met and talked about a collaboration, Diamond explains.
“When they announced he would be performing at the MTV Africa Music Awards, I was excited. After we met we discussed the possibility of doing a collaboration and he was ready to it. I chose Ne-Yo to record this song with because he fits my style of music. I am so happy because I grew up listening to Ne-Yo songs and most of my style is inspired by him so it’s a dream come true for a kid who grew up in a slum area in Tanzania.”
The single is the first the artist is releasing under the Universal Music umbrella and the team is excited about his signing.
“He’s a star, he is talented and full of energy and creatively he’s on par with any international artist I’ve worked with,” Sipho Dlamini, Universal Music’s Managing Director South Africa & Sub-Saharan Africa says.
“He’s focused and determined to succeed. He’s passionate about his country, his people , his language and his culture and I love that. He is a first class performer on stage, his new material is authentic, fresh and African, yet it will touch people across the globe. Artists like him are the reason we do what we do.”
