'I'm not an angry young woman'

SHE has been portrayed by the media as a violent and angry young woman. But after spending an hour with Tina Mkwaiwa, née Dlangwana, I discovered that she is also charming, elegant and very ambitious

Her dramatic affair with popular Oscar Mdlongwa attracted the tabloids - but that is in the past and she has, she says, since grown.

Mkwaiwa was raised in a Christian home in Amalinda, a suburb of East London.

Now married to businessman and promoter Prosper, the sexy singer is also a choreographer, songwriter, video director and businesswoman.

Asked about her violent image, she says: "I am not the monster the media portrays. Sometimes I wonder where people get that from," says Mkwaiwa, whose real name is Fezile.

"But I was involved with Oskido and I went through a lot of abuse while I was with him."

We talk about her latest and third album, Diva on the Loose: Tina , which will be released on February 5.

The album boasts exciting, quality music that ranges from dance to Afro-jazz to Afro-pop.

Mkwaiwa says the album will prove to those who doubt her artistic skills that she has talent.

"The album is about me, my journey and what I have been through over the past three years," she says. "It is about my life and the experiences that got me where I am today."

On this album she worked with Megabyte, who is signed to her company. Protina Entertainment.

Early last year Mkwaiwa decided to relaunch her brand with a cabaret show, also called Diva on the Loose: Tina. The show ran at the Meropa Casino, Limpopo, for six months. It is now moving to the Carousel Casino in North West for six months.

"With the industry flooded by thousands of musicians it is a big challenge to get a booking," she says. "I decided to use my theatre and musical skills to earn money. The show is packed with two hours of dance and music."

With the album getting massive airplay on many radio stations, Mkwaiwa vows that she will start 2011 on a new slate. She says she wants to put everything bad that happened in her life behind her.

"I have done a lot of springcleaning and have turned my life around. This includes friends too. I realised that I was in the mud and now I am a businesswoman."

Mkwaiwa is a very intelligent woman. She owns ProTina Entertainment and Mo-Skin. In June, she plans to open a dance school in Bronkhorstspruit, Mpumalanga.

"While trying to build my brand, I also want to focus on the community. The dance school is for everyone, including people who love to dance despite their weight and age," she says.

Mkwaiwa holds a BCom Finance degree from Unisa and has worked as a financial adviser. But she got bored and headed for the entertainment world.

She admits that when she joined the industry in 2006 she was completely overwhelmed.

"I came from an office background to a very hectic industry where you party the whole week. It was very hard for me to keep up. I was young and I sort of lost direction. I was clueless about the industry," she says.

Mkwaiwa says she later found out that the industry only looked glamorous from the outside. Once you are in it, it is hard to get out.

"The music industry is a very dirty game. If you do not stand up for yourself people will use you," she warns.

"If you refuse to sleep around, you are told that you cannot sing.

"The minute you agree to jump into bed, you are praised."