What has been your highlight of 2018?
I got my first magazine cover,my first international gig, a big-hit song, several important brand endorsements, and performed on some of the most epic local stages. But my biggest achievement was when I went to a gig in Soweto and girls had come dressed in Xibelani and I brought them on stage to dance with me. I almost cried. They were so proud and so, so beautiful.
1. Describe your perfect celebration.
I want to have a festival in the form of my childhood village. One of the stages is outside a hut and it’s called xiseveseve party and the mosh pit would be the kraal. The hip-hop stage would be the central circle where important meetings were held.Like a lekgotla. We’d have real cows and serve traditional beer.
2. If you could know the absolute truth to one question, what would it be?
I would ask what happened to Nkosinathi Nkomo.
3. What’s the most interesting thing you have done this year?
The collaborations I setup for One Source Live. I picked my favourite artists, put them in the most unlikely groups, and each group made a song. You could have a trap artist on a gqom beat with a maskandi singer on the chorus. The result was beyond beautiful.
Sho Madjozi on what her dream celebration is and the moment that almost made her cry
Maya Wegerif has blown up in a big way this year. The 26-year-old musician was one of the few local acts to perform at Mzansi's biggest festival this year the Global Citizen Festival. The Limpopo native also snatched our wigs when she performed at the New York edition in September. She describes her sound as “Tsonga pop, best-life music,carefree black-girl bops” and there’s no telling just how far Sho Madjozi’s star is still set to rise. Today she dropped her latest abum titled Limpopo Champion's League.
What has been your highlight of 2018?
I got my first magazine cover,my first international gig, a big-hit song, several important brand endorsements, and performed on some of the most epic local stages. But my biggest achievement was when I went to a gig in Soweto and girls had come dressed in Xibelani and I brought them on stage to dance with me. I almost cried. They were so proud and so, so beautiful.
1. Describe your perfect celebration.
I want to have a festival in the form of my childhood village. One of the stages is outside a hut and it’s called xiseveseve party and the mosh pit would be the kraal. The hip-hop stage would be the central circle where important meetings were held.Like a lekgotla. We’d have real cows and serve traditional beer.
2. If you could know the absolute truth to one question, what would it be?
I would ask what happened to Nkosinathi Nkomo.
3. What’s the most interesting thing you have done this year?
The collaborations I setup for One Source Live. I picked my favourite artists, put them in the most unlikely groups, and each group made a song. You could have a trap artist on a gqom beat with a maskandi singer on the chorus. The result was beyond beautiful.
4. What’s the one phrase you say the most?
“Va hi ruketela.” It’s a joke between one of my producers and me. It means they are swearing at us. We say it when someone is doing something ridiculous.
5. What is your hidden talent?
I’m good at playing soccer and braiding people’s hair.
6. What are you grateful for in 2018 and what is your one wish for the new year?
I am so grateful that I continued to build a dedicated team who became family. I’m looking forward to having my album out so I can focus on other things.
7. What’s next for Sho Madjozi?
An album, a documentary, and a clothing line.
This article first appeared in print in the Sowetan S Mag December 2018 edition.