You've probably come across the trending single 'Teta' and seen its challenges on TikTok and other social media platforms, but do you know who QD is, the talented singer behind the track?
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While not many may be familiar with the name, QD's musical talent is undeniable, especially if you've listened to his recently released song, 'Teta,' which came out on January 2.
Within the first 10 days of its release, the song has garnered over 16,000 TikTok challenges and has been viewed more than 250,000 times on YouTube.
QD, whose real name is Diaby Qusay Shema, is a rising Rwandan singer known for his captivating afro-pop, afro-fusion, and Afrobeats style.
Born on November 4, 2004, in Musanze District, he is the eldest of three children. Growing up, he had dreams of becoming a great footballer, like many other kids his age.
In an interview with The New Times, QD shared that singing wasn't initially his passion, but he always loved listening to music, even though he never thought he would pursue a career as an artiste.
"When I was growing up, my childhood dream was to play football at a high level. Lionel Messi was my idol. However, as time went by, I realised that my football career wasn't going as planned," QD explained.
"During the lockdown in 2020-2021, when most public activities were limited, I started practicing singing. I didn't have many things to occupy my time, and to my surprise, I received positive feedback from my friends, encouraging me to pursue it. That's when my journey as an artist began, thanks to COVID-19."
QD attended nursery school and primary at Glory in Musanze. In 2022, he completed his high school education, majoring in Tourism at ETK Karuganda in Burera district.
QD is determined to take his music to new heights and become one of the top artistes in Rwanda and the entire continent.
He has big dreams of making a name for himself in the Rwandan music scene and putting it on the global map.
In his own words, QD says, "I have a very high target. I want to write my name in golden letters in the Rwandan music scene and contribute to its growth on a global scale."
QD's latest single, "Teta," took him by surprise with its massive success seeing that he had released two singles ‘Indani’ and ‘Troma’ before but never got the popularity he expected.
He shares, "Teta is my third song, and honestly, I didn't expect it to blow up like this. But people loved it, and then beautiful girls started dancing to it on TikTok, and that's how the trend started."
The song "Teta" is a fusion of different ideas.
QD explains, "I wanted to convey the message that having talent alone isn't enough in today's world. People tend to promote fan personalities rather than true talent. That's why I mentioned 'Dorimbogo.' I also touched on the struggles young boys and men face in the dating scene, competing with older guys who have more money."
Despite the challenges, QD has complete confidence in his talent and the support he receives from his family and those around him. He finds inspiration in the journey of Nigerian singer Rema, which motivates him to keep pushing forward.
"Yes, there are always difficulties like lack of promotion and power play, but I firmly believe that with time and love from Rwandan music fans, everything will work out just fine,” the Singer said.