Sonwabile Ngxito, affectionately known as ZanoThando, is back on the music scene with a new EP that features kwaito legend Thebe.

With the belief that “kwaito is not dead, it has revolutionised”, Ngxito has used the two years since he was booted off Idols SA as a time to rebrand and reintroduce who he is as a kwaito and Afro-soul artist.

“I was very fortunate to collaborate with a legend in the game, Thebe. I grew up being influenced by kwaito and the kasi culture. I grew up around gangsters and guys from the streets. I used to listen to Thebe and having him on my song Gogo was like a dream come true,” said the 26-year-old from Rustenburg, North West.  

“My sound is very street hood, it’s not a sound that’s on high rotation or popular. I think it’s more new age kwaito with a little influence of amapiano.

“I always make sure to keep the bounce in my sound. However, I am a versatile artist. I also tap into Afro-soul and make romantic type of music… my aim is to inspire people through my music.”

Looking back, Ngxito said he wanted to go all the way in the singing competition but not bagging the ultimate title did not stop him from chasing his dreams.

“I’ve been receiving quite a lot of attention since I dropped my EP, Uza no Thando, earlier this month. The past two years have been a big transition for me… from being someone who people didn’t know to be stopped everywhere I go,” said Ngxito.

“The fame I received from Idols SA played a huge role on my brand which I feel privileged about. It helped me grow in the industry a lot faster but the downside of it all is that after I left the competition in the top 4, I had to start gaining my fan base from scratch.”

After leaving the Idols SA stage, Ngxito saw much growth in himself as he became more independent in pushing his brand more than ever.

He also had backing from his record label Kalawa Jazmee Records.  

“Being off-screen didn’t take that much of a knock on me as I’ve seen with other contestants. Yes, every Sunday you’d have our content or performances showcased to millions of South Africans and once you’re eliminated your relevancy to the masses kind of fades slowly but I didn’t let that deter me,” he said.

“I think the other good part is that I signed to Kalawa. They helped keep my name and image relevant because there was always work to do. I’m glad that people are resonating with my music and not just feeling it as just noise and beat… many of my fans describe my music as powerful and moving.”

Creating music isn’t the only thing Ngxito has been hard at work with.

Under lockdown, the singer launched a clothing brand called Ncasa (meaning taste in Xhosa).

As a millennial, Ngxito reiterated the importance of having multiple streams of income.

“Ncasa is growing very well... I was inspired by Somizi and Cassper [Nyovest] on how they grew their brand to more than just one aspect, thus monetising from it,” he said.

“I also have an organisation called the ZanoThando Ncasa Foundation that helps with funding children at various schools around Rustenburg. We also help with providing books and I also host programmes to help enrich their young minds.”

seemela@arena.africa