Masego did an interview with GQ Magazine and answered the question, “How did you get into music?”

His response was, “I started on the drums when I was eight. When I was in church, which to me at that time was just not fun, I used to see the drummer having the best time, playing with his eyes closed. I wanted to enjoy church and so I thought, maybe if I’m on the drums I’ll have fun too. I wanted to put my energy towards something, with the idea that then I’d be able to open myself up to hearing what the pastor had to say or participate more. Later, when I was 12 or 13, I started to learn the sax because of a woman I wanted to impress. It was less, ‘If I play the sax then she’ll marry me,’ more that I wanted to be able to engage in some conversation that I knew she wanted to be a part of.”

Masego [Muh-SAY-go], the multi-instrumentalist and smooth “trap house jazz” musician, is one of the most fascinating that the jazz world has witnessed in a while. It is fascinating to see Masego perform different variations of what he considers “trap house jazz”. Moreover, it is even more empowering to know that Masego’s significant influences are women. Led by his mother, Masego was brought to many of his favorite artists through the women in his life. Masego appreciates his diverse relationships with women, who he believes have contributed to his growth as a man.

Masego derived his stage name from South Africa after exploring his family’s diasporic roots in South Africa. His name means “blessing” and “prosperity.” It also aligned perfectly with his church nickname, “blessing.”