Sivalingum’s is all the rage on kykNET
CHATSWORTH entertainer Kyle Sivalingum, now based in Gauteng, continues to wow audiences across the country with songs he belts out in Afrikaans.
His latest Afrikaans music video Dans 101 is currently all the rage on DStv’s Afrikaans channel kykNET, also gaining much traction on YouTube since it was posted on Wednesday.
The video, which has a distinct Bollywood flavour, has Sivalingum trying to gain the affection of a pretty young lady with his Afrikaans rendition and energetic dance moves.
“I have been amazed by the response,” said Sivalingum, a former Legend (Artes) award winner.
The 27-year-old entertainer, who also sings in English and Hindi, began singing in Afrikaans in 2012 after his manager, Retha Cloete, of Melody Entertainment challenged him to do so.
The first time Sivalingum sang in Afrikaans was at a Boksburg venue. “The crowd went nuts,” he recalls.
It’s been success after success since then, he said.
“Afrikaans audiences are very responsive and often shout for more, especially when I do Hindi and English remixed songs.”
Sivalingum, like so many Durbanites who go to Johannesburg in search of greener pastures, got more than he bargained for after a night of karaoke at a pub in 2010.
Cloete was at the venue and she offered Sivalingum a recording contract.
“I was blown away by his vocal ability,” she said.
The singer said his conservative parents were sceptical when he pursued a career in music, but are pleased with the way it had taken off.
Sivalingum said he had a bumper line-up of events for next year, most of which were Afrikaans gigs.