Samthing Soweto’s hit song ‘Akanamali’ dominated the airwaves throughout the country and we can’t wait to hear what else the musician has in store for us. We sit down with the talented musician and talk about his music.
By Ayanda Sitole
In 2011 I left The Soil because I was disgruntled. It’s not because I planned to go solo but because Sipho Sithole, the owner of Native Rhythms record label, wanted me to focus my music only on the group while I was also branching out and doing music with The Fridge which is a nu jazz band. I had also already started dabbling into Samthing Soweto and it was doing really well. I wasn’t happy with being limited to just working with The Soil, so I left the band.
SEE ALSO: Kwesta on why Spirit is an important part of his musical journey
In 2017 I met Sun El-Musician and we wrote the song l ‘Akanamali’. The song has changed my whole life. I went from being nobody -with people only knowing my voice on The Soil’s album but without knowing my face – to being somebody whose face everyone recognised. People didn’t believe me when I told them I was a member of The Soil. The Soil was promoted as a three-man group; I was the fourth voice on the album providing vocals in acapella. I was never in the limelight and at times I would lead in songs like the popular song ‘We are Family’. Adding to the manager’s decision to not let me work on other projects, I left the group and went into a depression before I decided to try and do music again.
Right now, I am recording other songs, putting together what is supposed to be my first album. I’m finding it hard to decide which of the sounds I should be using based on my background. My creativity changes all the time because it is influenced by growth. I love writing in different languages and I’m exploring that. In the past I wrote in English. There is a big difference in the way people respond to music written in English to music written in their own language or our other official languages. Nelson Mandela said if you speak to a man in his language you’re speak to his heart. I’m applying that to my music because I want to speak to people’s hearts.
In the near future I would like to do scoring in film. I also want to travel with my family, but first I have to finish my album. I want to learn a foreign language and do a whole album in that language. It can be an African language, or even an Asian language. I was in eSwatini at the Bush Fire Festival earlier this year and there was a mixed crowd who enjoyed my music, it made me wonder how many other countries there are in Africa and around the world that I can go to and get a great response.
SEE ALSO: 5 minutes with Sho Madjozi
For my upcoming album I have collaborated with different artists, working in different genres. I want South Africans to receive my new music with a full belly and a drink in their hand. What I mean is that I want people to receive my music well when they are at their happiest, and still have a bit more joy to spare. I’m looking forward to performing at the Basha Uhuru Youth Festival where I’ll be doing old and new songs that people know me for.
Catch Samthing Soweto at the upcoming Basha Uhuru Youth Festival that will take place at Constitution Hill on 28-30 June 2018
