Edward Tsumele

Edward Tsumele

He has been ripped off by an unscrupulous producer, but that did not stop Siphiwe Radebe from pursuing his music career on his own.

And now he has clinched a new deal to release his forthcoming album.

The young artist from Balfour, Mpumalanga, released Ithembalami at the beginning of this year after he was cheated out of R2500 by a "recording company" in Randburg, whose name Sowetan is in possession of.

"When I saw that the company that promised to release my CD was playing games with me, I decided I needed to take control of my career by going the independent way.

"I sell most of my CDs in public places such as taxi ranks, schools and churches.

Luckily, for my next CD I have teamed up with Ringo Mkhari of Molliard Music," the gospel artist said.

"The deal that I got from Molliard Music is good, unlike what happened to me with the previous company that asked for money, but never intended to really release our music," he said.

"Whenever I asked, they would say they were going to do something.

But nothing has happened."

Radebe said he has always wanted to be a gospel singer, a talent that was honed in church. He is a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.