House of Zwide’s Shalate Sekhabi to release her debut EP, Love Is…

Television darling Shalate Sekhabi is taking the next step in her nascent career with the launch of her music career this Friday.

The Mahikeng-born starlet has in the last three years captivated TV viewers as Shoki in House of Zwide, especially with the onscreen romance with Nkosi Zwide (Wanda Zuma).

The 23-year-old actor made her acting debut at age 14 when she featured in two short films A Cup of Sugar directed by Xolile Tshabalala and Making a Killing directed by Justine Head. In 2020, she appeared on The River as Millicent.  

Now this Friday she will drop Love Is..., her debut EP.

“The reception for Shoki and Nkosi’s wedding [last month] has been so crazy... after the two-day wedding special aired, people started recognising me even more. I realised that now I’m kind of famous, famous,” she said.

“Music was the first dream I ever had. I actually released music before I even had an acting agent. However, in 2021, I had plans to release a music project but I landed a role on House of Zwide instead. I then thought to myself that maybe I should launch my acting career with the hope that people would know me well enough to listen to my music the day I embarked on it.”

Sekhabi was destined to be in the limelight, after all her  father is a playwright and director, while her mother is a singer. At age eight, she joined her school choir and drama club.   

“Another thing that made me pursue my music now is the uncertainty the acting industry brings. What if, I no longer have the role that I have now, what will I do? So, I need to do other things and not be too reliant on one particular thing. I also want to show young people out that they too can go for it all, no matter who says what,” she said.  

Although her debut offering is themed around R&B, Sekhabi plans to branch out into other genres.

“I just love writing songs about love and being in love. These are songs I gravitate towards. I chose not to collaborate with anyone on my new project because I wanted it to be purely and authentically me but collaborations are coming,” she said.

“My EP takes you on a journey of a relationship from the beginning to the end. Each song stands on its own and narrates a story... I believe these songs will be relatable to the listener. I can’t wait to perform at my first-ever gig at Back To The City this October and other R&B festivals later in the year.”  

As a hopeless romantic, the actor confirmed that she was in a relationship but remained tightlipped about the “man of her dreams”.

“All I can say is that I am happy and what I love about my man is how considerate he is not only in our relationship but the relationships he has with others,” she said.

Sekhabi’s future plans include playing a lead character in a film or series and record music with award-winning musician Shekhinah.