Samthing Soweto wants a music career rooted in vision, structure and long-term effect – not one run “like a spaza shop”.
The 37-year-old singer unpacks to Sowetan what that looks like:
How would you summarise your journey?
I’m aware that everything we do is all in the name of entertainment, but the journey itself has been crazy. I started my career as a member of The Soil (group) and I left when it was at its highest. I never got to fully experience what it felt like to be the highest-selling a cappella group and travel the world – even though I contributed to it musically... I had to watch everything that was happening from home.
I didn’t have a plan, I was unemployed, I was making music still, but more art-based, crafty stuff that only a few people appreciate. I know what it feels like to perform without a number-one hit. I know what it is to sell CDs and T-shirts. Then, having the biggest song, Akanamali, which allowed me to travel the country and go commercial.
Only now do I feel that I’m closing the first leg of my career. I have come full circle to the a cappella singer that I was when I first started – this can be heard from my new music. My new album, Touch Is a Move (Good Morning), has songs that are about love but also show my artistic side.
What has been the biggest challenge to overcome?
I've realised that the less art you put in, the crazier the money becomes. Those early years showed me a different perspective, and I’ve learnt to find ways to bring that entertainment value without compromising who I am as a disciplined artistic person.
I thought I was entering into a career that focuses on art, but later on, I realised it was more about entertainment, so I had to contend with the entertainment part of my career.
What have you learnt?
The industry is rough. When I started my career, we were signing deals similar to the ones James Brown was signing. During most deals, I’d speak up and mention owning [the] masters, and often they’d laugh me out of rooms. At times, people don’t understand some of the routes I’ve taken because I understand how crucial royalty payments are.
On a personal level, I’m learning how to pay my taxes on time, to employ people legally, to draft my contracts and do things the right way. I want to formalise my business correctly and not run it like a spaza shop.
Do you ever feel pressure to clear your name?
The Maphorisa thing came to my door, and I addressed it on my Instagram. I didn’t feel the need to address it beyond that. The thing is, for me, the big fight for us artists is to be taken seriously like a business. Not to run our careers like a spaza shop.
We need managers who understand the business. I also need to learn what the job of a manager is – it’s a foreign language to me to discern between an MD and a public relations officer. We, as artists, need to learn what these titles mean.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.