Photo of Kwanele Mathebula

5 minutes with Paxton

2017 Idols winner Paxton chats to us about life after the competition and her debut album, This Is Me. By Kwanele Mathebula

My journey has been amazing so far. I am grateful to have been exposed to many opportunities after winning Idols and I feel like the industry has embraced me with open arms. It’s still surreal to me to see the musicians that I have always admired encouraging and supporting me.

SEE ALSO: 5 minutes with Zandie Khumalo

My debut album is my introduction to the music industry. I want people to get to know me through this album and my music. I am proud of this album because I left a part of myself in all of the songs. It’s an honest representation of where I currently am in my life and what I’m going through. I hope people will hear that when they listen to it.

The process of making the album was emotionally challenging. It took about a month and a half to write the songs and then about two to three weeks to record them. I was busy performing while recording the album which was tiring but I managed to pull through. I also battled with laryngitis and pharyngitis which meant that I had to be careful not to strain my voice and manage my performing schedule. My team worked tirelessly to help me make this album a reality and I am grateful to them.

SEE ALSO: 5 minutes with Langa Mavuso

Releasing this album is a big deal for me I am hoping to take this album on tour around South Africa. Having already been to Sweden, I’d also like to tour internationally. I want my music to be heard in all corners of the world.

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