‘Everything’s fallen into place’

Chad Saaiman will be part of the Huawei K-Day line-up after an eight-year hiatus

CHAD Saaiman is a man on a “longevity” mission.

Saaiman has been singing since 16 and shows no signs of slowing down.

He was recently included in the Huawei K-Day line up. The event takes place on March 2 at the Meerendal Estate and will also feature YoungstaCPT, Craig Lucas and Lady Zamar.

But for Saaiman, the eight-year absence was a good thing as his music career and personal life set off on another trajectory.

Saaiman survived an attempted hijacking in Johannesburg in June 2011 during which he was shot. The bullet entered his diaphragm, and at one stage, Saaiman was not sure he would ever sing again.

This incident, however, did not stop him returning to Johannesburg, where he stayed for another four years to continue his singing career and get to where he finds himself today.

Now that he is back in Cape Town, “everything has just fallen into place”.

“The four years I spent in Joburg combined with my entire childhood in Cape Town just came together in such a way that I was clear what my goal was, and what was laid upon my heart to do in terms of music,” he said.

Saaiman is now focused on his music career, and wants to stick around for a long time.

“I was out for a year and although it was more physical, I also made sure that I took care of the mental side.”

Besides his singing career, Saaiman also runs a successful artist management company, Stereotype Talent Management.

While he works on producing new music, Saaiman is looking forward to being on stage with YoungstaCPT, Craig Lucas and Lady Zamar, all who have been chart-smashers.

Saaiman is a believer in “when the time is right, the time is right” and lives his life in the same manner.

He said the K-Day show was one he always wanted to participate in.

“When it lines up in terms of timing and the music that you putting out and work that you’re putting in, that’s when it’s meant happen. You can never have a sense of entitlement,” said Saaiman.

He is full of praise for his collaboration with YoungstaCPT, and says their hit song has gone “beyond radio and just beyond the normal kind of spaces, playing in the culture spaces”.

But it’s not all fun and games for aspiring singers – Saaiman says he works long hours and often has to work when most people wind down their days.

While he would not swop his career for anything in the world, he said that growing up he wanted to be a footballer and a journalist.

And he still plays soccer.