Language no barrier for Venda muso Sikheli Jnr
Award-winning artist's new album addresses social ills
Traditional music artist and songwriter Sikheli Jnr does not believe Limpopo artists are sidelined in the mainstream awards because of their language.
Born Mudodzwa Nengudza in Tshifudi village, east of Thohoyandou, Sikheli says if language in music was a barrier, the late Oliver Mtukudzi would not have sold thousands of albums in SA. The singer, who sings in Venda, argues that artists like Angelique Kidjo and Baba Maal always have global music fans eating out of their palms through their music despite not understanding the artists’ languages.
The 37-year-old says the problem is that many artists limit themselves by focusing on promoting their music in their own provinces and neglect other provinces.
Sikheli says he has proven that language is not an issue when he went to the Eastern Cape in 2015 and was interviewed on Umhlobo Wenene. He says the radio show host played his music and its listeners, largely Xhosa-speaking people, loved it.
“People called in appreciating my music. It showed that all along we have been limiting ourselves to a province where we come from.
You cannot expect to be nominated when your music is not known all over SA.
“It is all about marketing yourselves; it is not about language.”
Sikheli released his sixth album in December titled
A Li Ngo
Lala, meaning there is no peace in the land, which addresses social ills facing many communities in SA. Sikheli says his music speaks about issues that affect people and things that he sees happening in the society.
He defines his music as Venda traditional music modernised with Afrobeats. He says the purpose of using
Afrobeats is because he wants his music to appeal to the whole continent. His dream is to conquer Africa when it comes to sound. The first single of the album, Vhutshilo, is already a firm favourite with his fans.
“The world is changing at a fast pace. As an artist, it is my duty to talk about some of the challenges we face in my music. More so, with the coronavirus which has also added economic and mental strain to our already existing problems. Vhutshilo, meaning “life“, is a song which gives hope through daily life challenges. We all go through good and bad times, but the most important thing is that we appreciate the gift of life first and foremost,” he says.
Other songs on the 11-track album include Fhuri, Ndi Lele Nnyi and O Tou Shoma. He says he was inspired to do traditional music because he wanted to preserve his culture and heritage. Sikheli grew up singing Venda traditional music and in school choirs. His brother, Milton Nengudza, formed a choir in 1997. “Milton saw that I had a talent and started nurturing my talent and my voice. He taught me how to sing.”
The singer, who balances his 9-5 job as an administrator at a police station in Pretoria and his music career, released his debut album Ladzani Shango in 2012. It won the Best Tshivenda Album at the 2013 South African Traditional
Music Awards.