Wednesday night saw North Greenwich in the spotlight, as Dave’s The Boy Who Played The Harp tenure came to a fitting finale. With the stage glittered with stardom, GRM put a deeper scope on an artist who made his name from Thamesmead. Tim Duzit impressed and looked like a veteran as the 20,000-plus arena encored his MOBO nominated hit “Kat Slater”.
Prior to the performance, we caught up with Tim to discuss the MOBO’s, musical marketing, performance preparation and much more.
What was it like coming out at Dave’s most recent sold out show at the 02?
“2026 is off to a start that has me in spaces I feel I’m meant to be and I’m grateful Dave shared this stage and this moment. I take the viral stuff in my stride but this was different, at this level it’s crazy seeing fans reactions.”
Congratulations on the MOBO nomination for Song of the Year! How does it feel to be up for your first MOBO nomination?
“It’s good. I’m thankful to God. It’s nice to feel validated. It’s been a long time that I’ve been doing this for. I don’t necessarily do it for this validation but it’s always nice to have that extra cherry on top!”
How did you first hear about the news, and did you expect this nomination so early in your career?
“It was just a notification! My manager was who initially sent it. I don’t really have expectations in terms of awards and nominations, so it was definitely a surprise to come so soon.”
If we touch on the nominated “Kat Slater”, can you recall the musical process and how the song came about?
“So, it’s a remix of my original song called “Native Remedies”. My manager said we should play with some more accessible sounds. I remixed it, changed the drums and made it more digestible. We thought let’s pair it with some Kat Slater dancing videos and it went mad from the jump!”
Going viral on all platforms is an incredible feat! How important would you say it is to market your music when releasing?
“It might be just as important as the actual music, maybe even more important. There’s so many talented artists just sitting at home with music on their hard drive, but talent is only going to get you so far. You need to have that mindset to get out your comfort zone and market it in ways that people are not doing. It’s trial and error and doesn’t happen overnight. You see people like myself, who appear out of nowhere, but this is years if planning and plotting. I’m now reaping the rewards of the hard work over the years.”
What is your process when in the studio? Do you wait to hear a sound or do you have lyrics ready?
“I try not to be too precise with studio. One day I might start making a beat and the lyrics will come to me. On another day, I might come with lyrics and then start adding the beat around the lyrics. Sometimes, I write to others beats and then build on it with my own beat. There’s no scientific formula.”
If you had to put a genre to your music, what would it be?
“Tim Duzit is just the essence of foreign familiarity!”
Where did the name Tim Duzit come from?
“I was a big fan of old-school West Coast gangster rap when I was young. Eazy-E had an album called Eazy-Duz-It and I took the Duz It and put it with Tim.”
Can you recall your first memory of being involved in music?
“Church! It’s in my DNA. Everyone in my house is somewhat musical. My mum used to sing, my dad’s a choir master, my brother plays the drums, and my other brother raps a bit. I started off producing and drumming in church and then the rapping came later.”
In terms of preparation, how do you get ready for live shows?
“I was prepping from early. I take pride in my performance, so I had to get my cardio right. Things like clarity, breath control, that all starts with cardio. On the day, it’s just taking it easy, deep breaths, prayer, affirmations and just being present. It’s second nature at this point.”
What are some bucket-list goals you would like to achieve?
“I’m a performance guy so an arena tour eventually. That’s the biggest one. They’re all probably performance surrounded. I would like to headline a festival too.”
Who are three artists currently at the top of your playlist?
“I’ve been listening to Dave’s album. Some Loose Ends, and I’ve also being listening to the new Baby Keem’s album.”
Finally, what’s the best advice you’ve received on your musical journey?
“One thing that I’ve learned is that this industry, don’t try and make sense of it! As long as you understand that this place doesn’t make any sense, it’s easier to cut through. People lose their minds in this thing. I’m thankful that I’ve lived a bit of life before I got a little limelight. I’m a strong-minded person so I don’t get lost in the sauce. I just appreciate it because I’m living an interesting life at this point.”