Quit Talking : Q.T.S.D Records

“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.”
― Barack Obama

Or as Vincent Van Gogh put it “What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”

One person who has had the intrinsic motivation and courage to get up and do something and create his own record company, is a guy who was born in Zimbabwe who moved to Cardiff at the age of 13 and goes by the name of Prince . Audacious ? If Declan MacManus can take on the name of Elvis then taking on the name of Prince is fine here. We were able to catch up with Prince and ask him a few questions here is what he had to say .

What was the motivation for starting QTSD?

My passion for music was the motivation for starting QTSD Records. Music has always been there in my life since I can remember more than anyone or anything. When I was young, I move around a lot but one thing that stayed the same or stayed with me was music and how it made me feel. I had this idea for a long time. Having a lot of friends who are creatives I saw an opportunity to guide future Artist’s and create a place for all creatives to come and connect with one another.

QTSD does it stand for anything?

QTSD stands for Quit talking start doing. Talking about taking action is a lot less helpful then taking action. I have a lot of talented friends and they always tell me one day they will follow their passion but never get around to it and in some cases I understand they have no option but to put other priorities first in their life. At QTSD Records we aim to encourage that there is high value in following your passion, joy and curiosity. QTSD Records is all about people who are passionate, free thinking and inspired innovators who use their creativity to turn passion into profits.

How long have you been going?

We haven’t been around for long, but we are here to stay. QTSD Records was born May 2020 and we have since done a lot of work however with the current pandemic we have been quite limited to show what we can do. We believe time will tell and we are grateful how far we have come. Our first signed Artist Kori Roze is talented and has a promising future. He has 3 songs out with us so far which you can find on all digital platforms and the music videos are on our YouTube. Slime CGB is the life of the party, he has positive and vibrant energy that you can’t help but enjoy his music. Slime CGB has 2 songs out and a freestyle which you can all find on our SoundCloud and YouTube. We have some exciting projects in the works from all of our talented artists. You don’t want to miss this, before we take off jump on board. We also have a third artist who we are still yet to announce so look out on our website and on our socials for the big news. I believe it’s the final piece to the puzzle.

As well as starting a record company you have a recording studio can you say a bit about this?

QTSD Records Studio wasn’t in the original idea. We started with a bedroom studio set up which is where we recorded therapy, Kori Roze’s first single. The bedroom set up had some advantages and disadvantages. The advantages were that we didn’t have to pay rent or require that much expensive equipment, all we had was my laptop and Kori’s Mic with headphones. Honestly, I was happy with this for the moment. The disadvantage was we were making noise for the neighbours with our late-night session which sometimes went on until 6am. The quality of our audio wasn’t as great as we thought or wanted but we have learnt a lot since then and we are now working with people who are well educated on production. One day I decided to go out to look for a garage which was cheap, small and somewhere where could put our set up together and do our work. I looked around and got an appointment with someone to view a space and the first place I went is where QTSD Records studio is now. We got more than we asked for and when I walked in that room my head just started filling up with ideas. One problem was the rent was way out of my budget, but I managed to talk to the landlord, and we came to some understanding which still seemed impossible, but I was determined to turn this idea into reality. I went home made a couple phone calls with my team who I run QTSD Records with. They all believed it was possible if we all work together. From there every day we worked on building the Studio to where it is now. This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my team Aj, Jimmy, Coyd, Tshepo, Jahz, family and friends. We still have a lot more to build in the studio to make sure our customers have an experience of a lifetime every session. We have a lot more to bring in production and services.

QTSD signing KORI ROZE sporting a Deviation Street t shirt in the studio

Is the studio open to none QTSD artists?

The studio is open to everyone, all creatives and specifically the local artist’s in bath and its surroundings. You can book a studio session on our website. It is quick, affordable and easy. We want to help creatives beyond our label, and we want to encourage creativeness and culture in Bath. We have a partnership with Gogetterecords, which is another record label born in Bath who have been supporting upcoming local artists for a long time now and been doing a good job. Our aim is to support local creatives, culture, and the health and well-being of young people. QTSD Records studio is a space where all the young people who are ambitious can come to learn and nurture their passion from early. We want to uplift and unite creatives in Bath and the south west. As soon as the COVID restrictions are lifted and the virus is not a threat anymore we are looking to introduce some new services where the artist has an option to get the whole package from production, artwork, promotion content and purchase beats in house at QTSD Records studio.

Are you looking for new artists?

We are currently not looking for new artist as the pandemic has put a strain on most of our projects. We are using this time to really wake up our inner visionary. We are also not turning away any artists. We believe there is always a way we can help new artists. We are currently working on projects with local and international artists and producers from Chile, Zambia, America and Bath, who are not signed to our label, but they see our vision and we see their talent. So, if you’re a new or established artist and you see yourself working with us do not hesitate to contact us on our social or through email.

Where should they send their music to?

We are always happy to hear new music and we are looking for the right collaborations for our artists so if you’re a producer or an artist, feel free to send us your music to our email management@qtsdrecords.co.uk.