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Mumzy Stranger; singer, songwriter and MC, has been part of the Rishi Rich's camp for some time now, and shares an inarguable plateau within the desi music scene. With hit debut single One More Dance already under his belt, as well as his second single release Showgirl from his debuting album already available, the London born artist has already affirmed his place within the industry. It is fair to say Mumzy has more than a promising future ahead of him. 

In the words of the Mumzy himself, 'I see myself going international; I think my music caters a worldwide audience'

So we at Desi-Box decided to see what the wider audience thinks of Mumzy's success to date and if they also share the same vision for Mumzy’s future. Over the past week or so, we asked our panel of experts from the music industry consisting of a PR Director, a Publishing company, as well as an well known artist from the mainstream urban scene to  share their thoughts on Mumzy Stanger.

However, we did not forget about the real experts; the fans. The Desi-Box Facebook page was open to comments and thoughts. Without further ado, let’s see what the world thinks of Mumzy ‘Badman’ Stranger.

The response from the public was varied to say the least; there was an overall consensus that Mumzy does have what it takes to go mainstream, and that his love and commitment towards music is unmatched in the industry. Fans agreed that Mumzy does posses some very raw talent which can outshine any of his flaws. However, the public were not afraid to point out any of his flaws; one of the main themes of criticism was the claim that Mumzy has not quite found himself in terms of creative direction. It is important to bear in mind that many find this an attractive attribute to the artist; in the case of Mumzy, he has no particular style to which he restricts himself to. On the other hand, the majority concluded that Mumzy needs to restrict himself, rather than jumping on whatever bandwagon is rolling at any current time.

Following our discussion with the public we decided to get the opinion of our panel of experts. Once again, the panel agreed that Mumzy does have what it takes to go mainstream. Artists within the panel were quick to point out that Mumzy is a great artist and his hand in music production is something which is giving him a more attractive prospective. However, confusion arouse once regarding Mumzy’s style of music, pointing to the fact that on one hand, he is a ‘Bollywood-styled’ sounding artist, on the other, a Reggae/Dancehall sounding vocalist, and on the other; a solid RnB artist. Key advice for Mumzy was for him to work from the bottom up, but with a more identifiable sound.

We then spoke to the Publishing company who were all for Mumzy, and agreed he does have true passion for music, but also is very commercial and therefore can adapt and appeal to many different audiences. They told us they believe that if Mumzy plays it right, has what it takes to be bigger than Jay Sean. This is some claim, to which undoubtedly some Jay Sean fans would debate. With this in mind, remember; you can’t deny the fact Mumzy is working with the same team that developed Jay Sean, and shares similar hunger for success and worldwide recognition.

After speaking to our PR Director who has had nearly 20 years experience in the industry, he was quick to point out that Mumzy is one of the most humble artists out there, but also one that possesses the quality’s to cross over from desi music scene, to worldwide. He also pointed to the fact that at the same stage that Mumzy is at, Jay Sean had half the vocal quality that Mumzy possesses, which he hopes will take Mumzy even higher. Another piece of advice was that Mumzy needs to change his approach to the media, but also learn to adapt his performances to a more mainstream approach as Jay Sean did.

Considering this, Mumzy is a fast learner, so this should not really be a problem. The one piece of advice he did give which may hurt some of his camp is that Mumzy needs to sign to a major label and refresh his image if he wants to make it mainstream.

A late submission from a pr company that manages the likes of Jay Sean also had to say; "Mumzy has been working hard for years and is a great ambassador for the British Asian music scene given his unique style and undeniable talent. It remains to be seen whether or not he can cut it amongst a very competitive mainstream music industry. Given the right backing and strategy he may yet surprise a few, however he has a long way to go and be up against the likes of Ne-Yo, Usher, Chris Brown and of course Jay Sean."

Whether or not you are a fan of Mumzy’s work, it is undisputable that he has the potential to make it ‘international’. However, if changes need to be made, is debatable. For those who have followed Mumzy from day one and been loyal fans, the ‘Badman’ has a promising future. For those who have been sceptical of the young act, he may need to adapt to accommodate for what it takes to ‘make it.’

The outlook is so; every person to their own; every person has their own opinion, whether good, mutual, or bad. Of course, the fans are the real critics here. Whether Mumzy has what it takes to make it ‘international’ can only be answered by the man himself, in actions and not words. We wish Mumzy the best of success for the future and we will be behind you all the way.

Written by Rei Khan