New house music vocalist Thato Chabalala says she is more than excited to have broken into the music industry.

Chabalala, 27, from Tembisa on the East Rand, said she never thought of herself as a singer until she was told by a friend and church mate that she can become a professional singer.

Ray T, as she is known to her fans, had always been a background singer in church. Although many did not consider her as a vocalist, her church mate from Platform Ministry of His Glory introduced her to a friend who is a sound engineer to build her talent.

In 2016 she started recording songs and "although they were not good enough, they helped me become who I am today".

Chabalala recently released her debut house album, Intro.

Although she considers all songs to be great, she said High In Love was her favourite.

"This is the first real song I recorded in 2015 ... and this is when I realised that I can actually do this. It made me realise that I can actually sing because I sang my heart out," she said.

She became a house music vocalist because "it was the first [genre] I was introduced to, but I don't only sing house".

"I loved church and I loved singing in church, that's it. I didn't see it as a career," she said.

The new face in the house music space said she only listens to a beat proposed to her and she would immediately and fluently pen down lyrics and read them later knowing there are minor errors to correct.

Chabalala said she wished that other up-and- coming musicians would get the support they need in order to succeed in this industry. -