tdotostudios is the musical project of Theo Davis, a producer who also works as a medical doctor during the day, showing a great deal of talent across the board. We checked out his track, AFUA, a while back and loved it. If you missed the song, you can also find a stream at the end of this interview!
By Jane Howkins
You recently released a single titled AFUA, which we reviewed. What can you tell us about the track and what does the title refer to?
The reason for the name AFUA is that it is a female Ghanaian name meaning ‘born on Friday’. Being of Ghanaian descent, there was a longing to shine a spotlight on my own personal heritage and the African Diaspora. I wanted to create a lyricless sound which encapsulated the beauty of women from the African Diaspora. This will be one of the first tracks from a wider body of work called Kofi’s Lofi.
How has the reception been so far, and where can AFUA be purchased?
The reception has been quite good. I am happy that people have resonated with the track. I was not really expecting it given that instrumental tracks are so much harder to keep listeners interested. AFUA is out on all streaming platforms and can be purchased via digital download from Apple Music/iTunes. I am grateful for the support of the track so far.
Do you plan to release any singles in the near future?
I have a few projects I am working on. I am intending to release a new single in the series of Kofi’s Lofi, hopefully next month.
Do you plan to release an EP or an album anytime soon?
This is the long-term plan for sure. I am building more tracks together to form an EP called Kofi’s Lofi Volume 1 and would love to create an ongoing listening experience for my fans with that body of work.
As well as being a producer, you’re also a doctor. How do you balance the two?
Good question, I think part of it is having and using a calendar, setting deadlines and finding time to have dedicated time for music production. Another thing is collaborating with other producers/artists to help share the workload.
Did the pandemic hinder your work much?
I was working in an educational role rather than frontline during the first wave in 2020, so I did not have to work weekends or nights. So I was able to still do quite a bit of music during that time, which was necessary for de-stressing from all that was happening. I ended up writing a song about the Covid lockdown with my good friend IsaacO (Instagram: https://in…mMyMTA2M2Y=) and Josh Wheatley (Instagram: https://in…mMyMTA2M2Y= ) called Hopeless and Lonely. Here’s the link: https://so…and-lonely
Your music has elements of lots of different genres, sounding very unique. What/who influences you most as an artist? What have you been listening to recently?
Thank you, I really appreciate the kind words. Music was always in the house and I grew up on an eclectic mix of music including gospel, soul, Motown, folk and singer-songwriter music like Simon & Garfunkel. So, all of those elements seem to seep into my music. Another important thing is my faith in Jesus which I think is really integral to why I make music. I regularly serve in my church by playing the keys (piano) as part of my church band. Other inspirations include family and friends. In terms of what I have been listening to recently, there is a Nigerian afrobeats artist called Asake and I recently listened to his album which is so so good. The quality of music is so nice. The other person is Burna Boy. I liked his most recent album and have been a fan of his work for a number of years now.
Where are you based? What is the music scene like in your part of the world?
I am based in London, England. The scene is very eclectic from what I have observed, with a wide range of different genres represented. Increasingly, afro-inspired music ranging from afro-swing and afrobeats is becoming increasingly more popular.
Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?
Not at present.
Any last words for the fans?
Thanks for all the support, I am really grateful.