Mabandla meets the world

IT seems 2014 is bringing a change of fortunes for singer and songwriter Bongeziwe Mabandla.

After parting ways with record label Sony Music, the soul brother is getting ready for his debut international tour, visiting Japan and South Korea in August.

He will perform at the Sukiyaki Meets the World Music Festival of Japan, and the Bukchon and Gwangju world music festivals in South Korea.

It’s dope! This is so exciting,” says the Umlilo hitmaker.

I’ve been trying to get a tour here in South Africa, but it’s been a challenge. At least I got one elsewhere.”

Mabandla (26) says he could not be happier, because the news signals a better year than the tumultuous 2013.

In September he was attacked while on his way home from rehearsal.

I was stabbed in Soweto by four guys who were trying to rob me,” he says.

It was after this incident and much introspection that he decided to leave Sony.

The relationship was not panning out as well as he had expected, Mabandla says.

He felt that the 360 contract one that allows the recording company to arrange events was not getting him enough gigs.

There were months I’d go without any gigs and it was tough.”

When he was stabbed, he couldn’t afford to go to a private doctor to get a thorough checkup, he says.

At the time I didn’t even have the money to get X-rays and such things, and I think that s when I saw it [the relationship] had spiralled out of control.”

He then decided to go home to the Eastern Cape to recuperate and take some time out for a few months.

From that came the best decision he had made, he says. He now feels in control.

I feel I’d rather do this to myself that I caused my career to fall apart than feeling like somebody else didn’t give me the proper attention,” he says.

Mabandla will be in studio soon to record his second album.