THAT Zonke Dikana is a musician of the finest pedigree is unquestionable. A daughter of Vuyisile "Viva" Dikana, a respected drummer from Port Elizabeth, it's little surprise Zonke's prowess reigns supreme.
With all that street cred, it's surprising that the vocalist believed she was never ready to branch out into other fields. "All I know is that I never wanted to do anything outside of singing, recording and performing. My strength is music and I'm still learning and growing, how dare I venture into other things when I haven't mastered my own field," she says.
It took the talent search TV phenomenon of X-Factor to take Zonke out of her comfort zone and she was ready for the ride on the wild side mainly because she has always been a fan of the international versions of the show and its founder Simon Cowell, because "everything he touches turns to gold". Besides, she adds, the show was not too far removed from her interest as a musician.
She now sits on a judging panel of three, including DJ Oskido and Arno Carstens, to determine the worthy winner of a recording deal and a promising start in the music industry.
"I'm excited when I think about the responsibility I have to take somebody's career and say 'I will help you make it'. But I wonder 'what if it doesn't work?' 'What if I don't meet their expectations?' But it's an amazing position to be in and I'm enjoying every minute."
She has soon learnt the downside of being a judge and has been reduced to a stream of tears. She admits the hurtful part is saying "no" to a hopeful. "...but they need to understand that we say 'no' because we feel there is nothing there and we're looking for one person with the X factor."
Zonke relies on the support of the team around her when the emotions take a toll.
"They give me time to cry and the make-up team comes to redo my face and Kee- Leen [Irvine, the producer of X-Factor] talks to me and then we carry on, that's edited out because of the long breaks and it looks like I've recovered quickly from crying."
Zonke realises that her tears have made it easy for her to understand why hopefuls break down. "We become like children, we want to be picked and to win, but really there's space for only one."
Even after the exhaustion that comes with the tears and a punishing TV recording schedule coupled with other activities in her life, Zonke says she would do the show again. "Music is my one and only love, my true love. It has been there since the beginning. My father cracked the whip and told us never to complain and to let the work speak for itself so that when the rewards come you know you truly deserve them."
Zonke says her father demanded perfection and she'd love to transfer that ethic to someone. "Respect your audience and keep learning.
"A musician must improve with every year and with every album and performance. I love my audience and the thought of disrespecting them is incomprehensible."
She has made her final selection of top 6 contestants known as the "over 24s" (of age) that she will groom and guide through the competition and hopefully see one of them win the title. Her competition is Oskido with his group finalists and Carstens and the "under 24s".
"The winner is going to come from the over 24s," she declares confidently.
"I've said that even before I was allocated that group because I saw a lot of raw talent, they just need a bit of guidance," she says.
"The voices are mature because of age and there's something about being older and not having many options. Whatever you do becomes a do or die situation and pushes you to do the very best because you don't have the luxury of youth."
As a hands-on mother of two, Zonke says it is challenging.
"Sometimes it feels like one is a clown juggling a lot of balls in the air, but you make it work.
There are bags under my eyes, but I'm not complaining because I know why they are there."
Zonke is in studio recording her new album scheduled for a 2015 release. She has written, composed and produced the music.
She says her music is like pages out of her diary. She is not fazed about the pressure of repeating the success of Ina Ethe , her last album, which boasts hits like Feelings , Jik'Izinto and Viva The Legend .
"You move on from an album. I'm in the middle of another diary. I wish my fans will move forward with me as we look into different feelings, excuse the pun."
Not one to back down, Zonke says she doesn't want to be in a category with anyone. "I'm okay with being me, that's all I can ever be," she says.
New role suits Zonke
THAT Zonke Dikana is a musician of the finest pedigree is unquestionable. A daughter of Vuyisile "Viva" Dikana, a respected drummer from Port Elizabeth, it's little surprise Zonke's prowess reigns supreme.
With all that street cred, it's surprising that the vocalist believed she was never ready to branch out into other fields. "All I know is that I never wanted to do anything outside of singing, recording and performing. My strength is music and I'm still learning and growing, how dare I venture into other things when I haven't mastered my own field," she says.
It took the talent search TV phenomenon of X-Factor to take Zonke out of her comfort zone and she was ready for the ride on the wild side mainly because she has always been a fan of the international versions of the show and its founder Simon Cowell, because "everything he touches turns to gold". Besides, she adds, the show was not too far removed from her interest as a musician.
She now sits on a judging panel of three, including DJ Oskido and Arno Carstens, to determine the worthy winner of a recording deal and a promising start in the music industry.
"I'm excited when I think about the responsibility I have to take somebody's career and say 'I will help you make it'. But I wonder 'what if it doesn't work?' 'What if I don't meet their expectations?' But it's an amazing position to be in and I'm enjoying every minute."
She has soon learnt the downside of being a judge and has been reduced to a stream of tears. She admits the hurtful part is saying "no" to a hopeful. "...but they need to understand that we say 'no' because we feel there is nothing there and we're looking for one person with the X factor."
Zonke relies on the support of the team around her when the emotions take a toll.
"They give me time to cry and the make-up team comes to redo my face and Kee- Leen [Irvine, the producer of X-Factor] talks to me and then we carry on, that's edited out because of the long breaks and it looks like I've recovered quickly from crying."
Zonke realises that her tears have made it easy for her to understand why hopefuls break down. "We become like children, we want to be picked and to win, but really there's space for only one."
Even after the exhaustion that comes with the tears and a punishing TV recording schedule coupled with other activities in her life, Zonke says she would do the show again. "Music is my one and only love, my true love. It has been there since the beginning. My father cracked the whip and told us never to complain and to let the work speak for itself so that when the rewards come you know you truly deserve them."
Zonke says her father demanded perfection and she'd love to transfer that ethic to someone. "Respect your audience and keep learning.
"A musician must improve with every year and with every album and performance. I love my audience and the thought of disrespecting them is incomprehensible."
She has made her final selection of top 6 contestants known as the "over 24s" (of age) that she will groom and guide through the competition and hopefully see one of them win the title. Her competition is Oskido with his group finalists and Carstens and the "under 24s".
"The winner is going to come from the over 24s," she declares confidently.
"I've said that even before I was allocated that group because I saw a lot of raw talent, they just need a bit of guidance," she says.
"The voices are mature because of age and there's something about being older and not having many options. Whatever you do becomes a do or die situation and pushes you to do the very best because you don't have the luxury of youth."
As a hands-on mother of two, Zonke says it is challenging.
"Sometimes it feels like one is a clown juggling a lot of balls in the air, but you make it work.
There are bags under my eyes, but I'm not complaining because I know why they are there."
Zonke is in studio recording her new album scheduled for a 2015 release. She has written, composed and produced the music.
She says her music is like pages out of her diary. She is not fazed about the pressure of repeating the success of Ina Ethe , her last album, which boasts hits like Feelings , Jik'Izinto and Viva The Legend .
"You move on from an album. I'm in the middle of another diary. I wish my fans will move forward with me as we look into different feelings, excuse the pun."
Not one to back down, Zonke says she doesn't want to be in a category with anyone. "I'm okay with being me, that's all I can ever be," she says.
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