5 MINUTES WITH LANGA MAVUSO

With incredible talent and artistry, Langa Mavuso has risen to become one of the most exciting R&B voices of South Africa. Already charting on the iTunes Top 100 on the iTunes R&B/Soul Album Chart, Langa is expected to have a very strong and well-supported career in music.

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He has had slow and steady progression into the music scene and has now firmly cemented his place as the smooth, cool and soulful R&B singer. Langa has put hard work and dedication to his craft by studying in music extensively at The National School of the Arts as well as the University of Cape Town where he studied jazz performance. He delivers crisp vocals with deeply emotional storytelling and vivid songwriting. His album is authentic and talks about loss, pain, heartbreak and love, he calls it the window into his life with love.

He shares a few moments with us and speaks about the inspiration behind his new album ‘LANGA’ and why we can all learn something from it.

WHO IS LANGA, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
Langa is singer-songwriter born and raised in Johannesburg. I’m a soulful young crooner who loves love, living life to the fullest and is very family rooted.

HOW HAS GROWING UP IN SOUTH AFRICA INFLUENCED YOUR MUSIC?
The world class sounds of Mam Letta and Bab’ Caiphus filled many rooms of my childhood. Long drives from Soweto back home to the suburbs listening to the sounds of Sankomota in the background. December holidays with Brenda Fassie blasting in the streets of Diepkloof and baba’ Ringo Madlingozi accompanied every loved filled moment and my mom’s society meetings. The sounds of South African music were prominent in my upbringing and they inspired me to reflect the times but also to create classic records that live in people’s memories just as those songs have lived in mine.



HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE JOURNEY OF SONGWRITING?
It’s been a journey filled with so much growth. I believe that the best writers read more than they write and they live so they can write. I’ve found the words comes easier when I feel safe to be honest on the page. Creating the album was a challenging but therapeutic journey for me. The growth is evident even in the intention of the track listing. It’s been a long but worthwhile journey for me.

IT’S BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE YOUR EP, YOUR COMPLETE ALBUM IS OUT NOW, HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?
Fulfilled. This dream began at the age of 8 years old. I began chasing it as a teenager at the National School of The Arts. Crafted it as a UCT jazz student and brought it to life at time when I could’ve given up. It’s a sign of resilience and perseverance.

WHO HAVE YOU COLLABORATED WITH ON YOUR THIS ALBUM?
I worked with people I consider my friends. Incredible musicians and writers such as Zoe Modiga, Manana, Yanga Chief, Aimee George, Benjamin Zadok and incredible producers like Noble and Darren Blackensee.



HOW HAS THE LOCKDOWN PERIOD IMPACTED YOUR MUSIC AND SONGWRITING?
I took time to pause. I had an album to mix and master so I focused my energy on that and really let the time off be a time to reflect and reconnect.

WHICH ARTIST DO YOU LOOK UP TO LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY?
Locally it would have to be Black Coffee because he’s a global icon but still firmly rooted in South African culture with his creativity and music. Internationally Sam Smith is someone I look up to.



HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR GENRE OF MUSIC?
I play in many genres of music because I believe the message isn’t limited to one soundscape or sonic pattern but all my music has soul and love at the centre.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE YOUR ALBUM LANGA?
This album is inspired by heartbreak. This is me taking a moment to look in the mirror and reflect on self, through the journey of this heartbreak, and you’ll see three different phases of this journey play out throughout the album, with every four songs; in the beginning we reflect on the pain and upset caused by losing love, with this part of the album expressing the initial acceptance of a relationship ending. In the second part, we step into a more tumultuous part of the heartbreak; inspired by the sounds of nightclubs and a lifestyle that can be described as a distraction.



WHERE DO YOU DRAW YOUR STRENGTH FROM?
My family. I want to make them proud. My mom has made many sacrifices for me growing up and it would be a great pleasure for me to make her life a dream to live. My strength comes from the Lord.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE FANS TAKE FROM YOUR WORK?
I hope they find healing. The intention of this project was to reflect honestly, love fearlessly and cultivate healing through vulnerability and truth.



YOUR MUSIC IS DEEPLY EMOTIONAL, WOULD YOU SAY THAT’S HOW YOU ARE AS A PERSON?
Yes! I feel very deeply and so I reflect intently as well.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE IN YOUR CAREER THUS FAR?
No, every challenge and lesson was a necessary part of the journey. Nothing happened by mistake.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR LIFE?
The music. It’s masterfully crafted and classic.



WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT IN 2021?
We’ve got some special music videos coming out for this album. Once it’s safe to travel again we’d love to tour the album and I’m already writing the second album.