Artists To Watch: Soulful Tanzanian Singer-songwriter, Tofa Jaxx
25 year-old Christopher Dominic Kihwele, popularly known as Tofa Jaxx, makes music that comforts and uplifts. Listening to Tofa’s honey-like, soulful, tenor combined with his honest, poetic lyrics feels like talking to an old friend or being wrapped up in your favourite blanket. His sound, which he’s coined as ‘J.A.S’, bends genre norms, borrowing sonic influences from jazz, various African genres and soul.
Photo Credits: Joseph Baraza
The Tanzanian singer-songwriter’s professional journey began in early 2016 when he dropped out of college to pursue his musical career full time. He counts his 2018 record, ‘Go Away’ as his first proper record: “The song means so much to me, it’s a personal record that I wrote based on something I was going through at the time and it felt good to tell my story and to have people relate to it.”
Tofa’s debut EP, entitled Middle 8, was released in mid February of this year and is available on all platforms. A collection of his life experiences thus far, the project is raw and relatable, and definitely worth listening to.
Firstly, why did you choose Tofa Jaxx as a stage name?
I grew up in the streets so no one could pronounce Christopher, or no one had the time to call me Christopher so they would call me Tofa. Jaxx comes from a musical that I really like called ‘Rock of Ages’. When I was looking for a stage name, there were a lot of names I wanted to call myself… Chris something. But then I thought, there are so many Chrises out there, I might as well call myself Tofa. And then I thought Tofa wasn’t enough. That was in 2012 when I was in high school and that’s when I watched Rock of Ages. The main character was called Stacey Jaxx, played by Tom Cruise, and I really fell in love with that character. So I was like, I might as well call myself Tofa Jaxx.
And so what or who are some of your main inspirations?
So many things inspire me on a daily basis. New experiences, life itself. If we talk about musicians, people like Amy Winehouse, Bob Marley, Ed Sheeran. And so many local musicians that I grew up listening to, Dully Sykes, Muumini Juma, Ally Choki, Lady Jay Dee and the whole early 2000’s bongo flava era. All these people have inspired me in different ways. And I’d also say my mother, she’s literally my muse and everything I do, I do it for her.
I’m also inspired to tell stories. I’m queer and growing up being queer in Africa, so many things are taken away from you and I turned to music. Doing music itself is therapeutic to me and keeps me sane.
Photo Credits: William Kihwele
Speaking specifically on the ‘Middle 8’ EP, can you talk me through behind putting that project together, and what specific inspirations led to the creation of that project.
Some songs were already recorded and written and so it was a compilation of old songs and some new ones that I created in Nairobi at Dillie’s studio. Most were created from scratch in the studio. It took us about twelve days to put the project together. So I was in Nairobi for 12 days, recording about two songs a day, producing, writing and recording. When we finished all the songs, I came to realize every song has a bridge so I came up with the name Middle 8 because that’s the terminology that singer/songwriter’s use for a bridge.
The EP is inspired by all the things I’ve been through in life. I feel that people, especially my age, really need to hear this message. You know, we live under so much pressure, you wake up and look at Instagram and someone has posted their latest accomplishment. That’s where ‘Patience’ came from. ‘When I’m Sober’ was inspired by a time when I was really broke. ‘Saturday’ came from a time I used to be in this situationship with this guy.
Of the songs on your project, which is your favourite one?
Hmmm, I would choose ‘Hurting U’. It’s such a personal track. It’s basically me talking to society and God. You know when you’re deprived for things for so long, you become a certain person that you may not have wanted to become. So it’s a very personal track for myself, that came from a painful side of me.
Photo Credits: Joseph Baraza
When it comes to performing, or the actual making of the music, is there one that you prefer?
To be honest, I prefer being on stage, that’s the best high ever. Being on stage for me is my religion, just being able to sing along with my fans. But I also love being in the studio because that’s my creative space, it’s where I feel like a god. Both give different, essential vibes that I need but if I had to pick one, I would pick the stage.
Your sound is very unique and goes against the mainstream. And making an alternative sound typically makes it difficult for artists to make it in East Africa as cutting through that noise is a challenge. For you, in terms of building your fan base and pushing your sound, what have been some of those challenges?
The challenges have been getting my music heard by my fellow Tanzanians. I’ve tried reaching out to different media outlets and it hasn’t been a success because the industry is kind of biased. So it’s difficult for anyone making a different sound. Diamond, Harmonize, we’re all Tanzanians, let’s support everyone.
Photo Credits: Joseph Baraza
As a music fan, what songs have you had on rotation?
I’ve haven’t been listening to much honestly but recently, a lot of Mereba, Snoh Aalegra, WurlD, Tom Doolie, Brandon Harris, and Chronixx.
What is the first song you ever fell in love with?
It could be ‘My Love’ by Westlife. I was so young at that time but it made me really want to sing! And also Lady Jay Dee’s song, ‘Machozi’, I used to love that song!
What are you hoping that people who listen to your music will feel/take away from it?
I want people to feel that they deserve a spot in this life. I want my music to boost people and give them a sense of liveliness. And to be honest, I make my music for everyone but mostly people who’ve been what I’ve been through, who’ve been deprived so that when they listen to my music, they’ll feel like they’re not alone.
Keep up with Tofa Jaxx on Twitter.
Stream ‘Middle 8’ here.
