Musa finds himself in new abum
MUSA Sukwene has grown in leaps and bounds since winning the local talent show Idols SA in 2013.
He has recently released his third studio album, titled Musa,a project which he feels in hindsight he created in order to find himself again.
The album was created during a difficult period for Sukwene.
With the death of South African music stalwart Robbie Malinga in December last year, he had lost a friend, mentor and adviser, someone who had guided him through this cut-throat music industry, and one of Mzansi’s finest producers.
After Malinga’s death, many wondered what would happen to Musa’s career.
“To be honest, Robbie was never my career,” says Sukwene.
“Robbie and I had a collaboration together and it (the song) just blew up so big that a lot of people assumed that Robbie and Musa were one thing.
“Robbie and I were not a group or a band, where if one band member passes on, then the group suffers. We just did a big song together.”
The experience was a wake-up call: Musa said it dawned on him that he needed to find himself as an artist and recreate his sound.
“I’m at the point where I really want to speak to the people, and I want people to understand how I perceive music fully, to understand Musa in his entirety,” he said.
For Musa, Sukwene took creative control, doubling up as singer and producer.
At his launch press conference at Universal Studios in Rosebank, the Mthande hit maker exuded an air of confidence about his new album. “I’ve never been so confident about releasing an album in my life… I’m super-excited,” he said.
“I had to call it me (Musa). It (the album) showcases so much of what’s in my mind and how I view music.”
The album features Ntate performer and music pioneer Tsepo Tshola on a powerful track called Bophelo. The church-inspired song was written by gospel sensation Dr Tumi.
Sukwene also pays tribute to Bra Hugh Masekela with his own rendition of the late trumpeter’s song Tonight, which features singer Khanyo.
Tonight also featured on Bra Hugh’s last album and Sukwene says he is honoured to have done a rendition of the song with Khanyo, who also featured on the original track.
In another collaboration, Sukwene paired with Ntsika of the a cappella group The Soil. He reckons the single they produced, Ngivumele, will seriously capture the public’s attention.
Sukwene also joined forces with three poets – Sbo the Poet, Mam’ Buthelezi and Puno – and together they tackle a variety of subjects including, love, South African music and black girls.
Asked what his favourite song was, he said: “It has to be Thatha Uthando Lwakho. “It’s the creation of the song that I enjoyed the most.
I was chilling at home and everyone thought I was going crazy because I kept recording the sound bites on my phone and it just didn’t sound right…
“I don’t record music like other people do,” he explained.
“I record voice notes. I don’t write, because I’m dyslexic.
“When I recorded the idea, it didn’t sound like it does now, and there were no lyrics either.”
Sukwene describes his new album as “all shades of South African music”.
The album is available on all digital platforms and at music stores.