Kwaito artist Champion is ready to be the next big thing to come out of Durban, following Big Nuz.

Champion, whose real name is Siyabonga Sibeni, 38, says he came to Joburg with a plan to take over the music industry.

"My interest in music started when I moved to Durban, where I attended high school. My friends and I formed a group called Citizen and we started pushing our music from there.

Champion says after he finished high school, he and three other members of the group moved to Joburg. When things did not go according to plan, his band mates packed up and headed back to Durban, but he stayed put.

"Shortly after that I also moved back to Durban where I got very close to a relative of mine, Danger of Big Nuz, when they were also starting to be recognised in the music scene. I lived with them for about two years in Durban.

"I remember when the late R Mashesha told me to join another group in Umlazi, which was also doing kwaito music," he says.

Champion, who is originally from a village called uMzimkhulu in KwaZulu-Natal, says the group met up with house DJ Clock in 2009 in Durban. He liked their music and offered them an opportunity to move to Joburg with him and start recording. They recorded and released an album in 2010 under DJ Clock.

"The album did not do well, so when our careers did not take off, my bandmates also packed up and moved back to Durban, leaving me in Joburg again," he adds.

Champion resides in Midrand, northern Joburg, and has recorded a new single with Durban hit band Trademark.

The star says he is working on a new album which will be released later this year.