Pmb musician hits the big time with Dr Dre on new album
Pietermaritzburg’s own Candice Pillay features in two songs on hip hop legendary producer, Dr Dre’s new album.
Pietermaritzburg born Candice Pillay is one of the few artists in the world who has been selected to feature in a much anticipated album by legendary hip hop producer Dr Dre.
Today, that album, Compton: A Story To Tell, was released on iTunes, after a 16 year wait. Pillay, who was born and brought up in Pietermaritzburg, attended the Russell High School in the Pietermaritzburg CBD, features on two songs “Genocide” (featuring Kendrick Lamar, Marsha Ambrosius) and “Medicine Man” (feat Eminem and Anderson Paak).
No stranger to the limelight, Pillay has also worked with producers Bangladesh and Alex Da Kid, including co-writing Rihanna’s recent single “American Oxygen” with Alex, X Ambassador’s Sam Harris and Rihanna.
Dr Dre is credited with growing hip hop’s popularity to cult status, has produced albums for and overseen the careers of many rappers, including Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Xzibit, 50 Cent, The Game and Kendrick Lamar.
Singing since she could talk, Pillay said music has always been a part of her life.
“I remember acting out my music video in front of the mirror with my mum’s roller brush in hand, my tiny feet in her highest heels. I was Mariah, or Whitney sometimes Toni Braxton. They were just dreams I never thought I could chase them this far but I’m glad I did,” said Pillay.
Recalling her early days of music at school, Pillay said she participated in every talent show.
“I’ve been singing, dancing, acting and I even thought I could rap at one stage. Gosh, I remember doing the rap verse of Michael Jackson’s ‘Black or White’! I’ve always loved being on stage, it just felt right. I sang my way through ‘primary school’ as we say in South Africa. In high school, I remember my dad sending me to an old Indian piano teacher. He taught me how to read music and play air keys! Ahh… air keys… see, at the time I didn’t own a piano or keyboard and if you know piano you know the most important thing is practice. I remember my teacher drawing all the white and black keys on the middle page of my notebook. He insisted that I practice my piece everyday, which I never understood.
“Patience is something you will need to learn,” he said. So I waited and practiced. My dad put my first keyboard under the Christmas tree that year,” said Pillay.
Five years after that, Pillay had moved on from playing piano to guitar – she wanted to be just like her father.
"Fast-forward 5 years later I had been playing guitar for a while, wanting to be just like my dad who played at church. I still played a little keys but I have this bad habit of never finishing what I start. I was quickly enticed by my new instrument. By then I had started writing my own songs. They were brilliant (well to me at least) I wrote about stuff I saw and felt, everything rhymed, they were poems really. I played at weddings, funerals, birthday parties, and church concerts anywhere I could. I so desperately wanted an avenue to pursue my singing career. I finally arrived in the States, New York City when I was 19 years old working as an au pair, that’s just a fancy word for nanny. All the while I was hustling singing where I could and meeting people. I moved to Los Angeles a year later and that’s how it all began. So, this is now my home away from home,” said Pillay.
Making it big in the ever-competitive world of music in USA, Pillay said she had to work hard to survive.
“Things weren’t always easy; there were times when I didn’t even have a place to stay. I was always blessed though things always worked out somehow. I have met people that have changed my life, made me stronger and work harder. I just want to thank God and my family now that I have reached this far,” said Pillay.
Some of Pillay’s other songs include Poor girl, In the wind, Fall in love, and her album “The Mood Kill.”
