We had a fun quickie with local muso Tresor and asked him 9 random questions!

Cape Town - Tresor is an award-winning and multi-platinum selling artist, who you've probably heard all over the radio. 

His songs reflect his life shared by so many on the continent of Africa, but few are able to express their experiences in a way that captures the ear so universally and directly as this man right here. 

We had a Channel24 quickie with the Mount Everest singer and played a a fun game of "Hell Yeah/Oh No", but first...

C24: Tell us a bit more about your days as a car guard and how you went from there to a successful musician?

Tresor: I'm originally from the Congo and I moved to South Africa seven years ago. When I moved here life was hard, I was broke, in a new place and city where I didn't know English so I had to choose to become a car guard or a criminal. I had to start from the bottom and became a car guard.

So I worked around Durban being a car guard, security guard and gardener. But my passion for music was always there. From there I was very fortunate to meet my first manager in Durban where we formed a group, Maesho.

And from there we opened for the likes of Johnny Clegg, Freshly Ground, Prime Circle, a lot of great local artists. But I knew I wanted more so I started to push myself and went to Joburg. So I told the band I wanted to go solo and in that year I signed with Universal Music Publishing Group in Cape Town. Two years later I won an international songwriting competition with Rolling Stone magazine. 

The following year I wrote songs for Zahara's second album which went double platinum, so I went on tour with her and Nedbank and saw the beautiful country as well as played with her. 

I think my big break was working with Zahara, that pretty much set me up as a songwriter and as an artist. 

C24: Describe your sound using 5 words... (We'll be counting)

Tresor: A fusion of African sounds (elements from all over Africa - fused with pop music).

C24: Who are you musical inspirations?

Tresor: I have quite a long list, but the main ones are Bob Marley, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Johnny Clegg.

C24: Your song, Mount Everest, what inspired that successful song?

Tresor: The song is inspired by a true, young, wild, colourful love story. I wanted to translate the music as that, that's why it has this happy mood about it. AKA heard it in his hotel room in Durban while we both were in Durban and he jumped on it. I kept in touch with his manager and now his management is mine too.

C24: You've performed alongside a lot of local artists, who was your highlight?

Tresor: That's a tricky one for me. Even while I was still struggling as an artist I would open for local artists and still wait tables as a waiter. Although I had all those amazing opportunities, I couldn't live without serving tables. I understood one thing, there's chasing the dream versus reality. 

Everything has been a contributor to where I am now. But what played a crucial role is my tour with Zahara.

C24: You're a songwriter, what is your favourite song you've written and why?

Tresor: That's another tricky one. I can't pick one, but Mount Everest is really doing well and I've just released a song called Never Let Me Go, here in Cape Town with Matthew from Beatenberg.

So that song for me right now is pretty much my favourite.

C24: And who would you like to write a song for one day?

Tresor: It's a guilty pleasure, but Rihanna doesn't write most of her own songs and I enjoy how she brings each and every song to life. So I would love to have a song written by me on her next album. She kills every song she does. 

Now in true Channel24 fashion we asked Tresor 9 unexpected questions which he could only answer with "Hell Yeah!" or "Oh No". Here’s what went down:

1. Would you ever in your life go sky diving?

"Why would I ever do that?"

2. Are you a pro in the kitchen?

"Hello no! But I love food."

"Hmm, why not!"

"Oh yeah!"

"No, her name is Elizabeth."

"Yes! My go to song is anything Brian McKnight."

"A little bit too much."

"If I had to."

"You'll never know."

(Photos:Bronwyn McKay_Channel24)

Make sure you follow Tresor on Instagram and Twitter and like his Facebook page.