Idols SA season 15 runner-up Sneziey Msomi admits the past year has been about sustaining her 30 seconds of fame after coming short of the grand prize.
Sneziey is launching her solo music career after inking a record deal with Gallo Record Company.
She lost out to crooner Luyolo Yiba when he was crowned the Idols SA champion in December.
The 26-year-old vivacious singer became a fan-favourite and stood out with her anthemic gospel tunes.
“Life after Idols meant I didn’t win, but it wasn’t the end of the world. It brought the drive of wanting to work 10 times harder,” Sneziey explained.
“It comes with the drive of capitalising on every momentum of people being hyped up about you. It meant hard work and maintains the relevancy.
“The Idols fame lasts for 30 seconds because before you know it comes a new season with new faces and people are going to forget about you.
“It’s a matter of sustaining your 30 seconds, play wisely and invest in yourself because the minute it’s gone, it’s gone forever.”
Sneziey said while she was waiting of her solo music career to kick off, she focused on being an influencer.
“There was never specific strategy because I believe so much in God and his timing,” Sneziey said.
“In life, we tend to plan, but then God will say ‘not this route, this is where I want you and this is how I want it to happen’.”
Sneziey has just released a remake of well-known hymn Ungubaba..
“It’s one of those songs that I’ve always said at one point I will have to record,” the singer said.
“I’ve obviously given it a modern twist because as much as I’m a born-again Christian, I’m a kid, so I have to give it a youthful vibe and still deliver the message of God.
“For me, Ungubaba is about a God that sustains a person, sticks with you throughout everything and never fails you.”
Don’t expect Sneziey to strictly do gospel music as she’s not a one-trick pony.
She reveals that she has recorded a collaboration with DJ Tira. Her dream collaborations are American gospel sensation Le'andria Johnson and local acts Khaya Mthethwa and Brenda Mtambo.
“I regard myself as a musician and to me that is someone that is open to music that’s given to them. I want to respond to the calling now rather than later,” Sneziey said.
“It happens that I was in a pop competition and God kept showing himself through me throughout the competition. I never imagined being that gospel girl in a pop competition.”
Sneziey shared that the harshest lesson about life after Idols SA has been people’s expectations of her and their sense of entitlement.
“So, I remember after the competition someone saw me taking a taxi and they posted about it on Facebook,” Sneziey recalled.
“Haibo guys, I don’t have a car and I didn’t win the car – so of course I’m in a taxi. So, it was shocking that people don’t want to see me using a taxi.”
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