MAFIKIZOLO: STRONGER THAN EVER WITH ROCK-SOLID BEATS

With the festive season in full swing, what better gift to receive than that of amazing music? We caught up with the multi-award-winning musical duo Mafikizolo, whose new album has just landed.

Few great heavyweights in the South African music industry can claim a 25-year career that continues to thrive. Theo Kgosinkwe and Nhlanhla Nciza, together known and loved as supergroup Mafikizolo, continue to scale ever greater heights.

“Wherever we go, even beyond the borders of South Africa, people may not understand the language, but they are loving the music.”

With nine albums produced and released since they got together in 1996, Mafikizolo’s quiet confidence in letting each album breathe and bond with their audience highlights their long-term commitment to bringing a little ray of sunshine, love and hope each time one of their many hits plays.

BLESSING IN DISGUISE
The great news for fans of their two most recent singles, ‘Ngeke Balunge’ and ‘Thandolwethu’, is that by the time you read this, Indwala (‘Rock’ in Zulu), will be out and fans will be able to reconnect with one of South Africa’s most enduring ambassadors of the expression of love through music.

‘The title and the artwork for the album talk to our steadfast and ongoing commitment, over the years, to making and sharing our music,’ says Theo. ‘The excitement of producing new music is still very much there,’ he says, adding that the making of this particular album was even more intense, having taken place in Covid-19 times. They began work on it in 2019, but have only been able to release it now because of the pandemic.

That said, the pair saw the delay as a blessing in disguise. ‘Even though many of the songs on Indwala were written two years ago, the themes remain fresh and relevant today,’ Theo assures. ‘Our music is anything but fleeting, because you can listen to a song now, and a year from now it plays on and remains relevant. We’ve been blessed that way.’

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PERSONAL FAVOURITES
Every Mafikizolo fan has favourite songs that they enjoy listening to on the way to work, driving to church or just relaxing at home. ‘Each one of our songs belongs to the fans,’ Theo says. ‘Some will set the mood for love, while others insist you get up and dance – that’s the power music has over us all.’

With the new album’s first two singles, ‘Ngeke Balunge’ and ‘Thandolwethu’ having already racked up an eye-watering 20 million views on YouTube and more than five million streams on Spotify, it’s clear that after 25 years Mafikizolo remains very much loved, right around the world.

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‘Wherever we go, even beyond the borders of South Africa, people may not understand the language, but they are loving the music,’ says Theo. ‘They’re loving the culture, the videos, the surroundings where each was shot, so it seems the combination of it all is what fans appreciate. And the two tracks are very different. With one a ballad and the other a dance song, they reflect the diversity of the album.’

FEET ON THE GROUND
With no less than 14 South African Music Awards and two MTV Africa Music Awards to their credit – along with a whole host of other accolades – staying grounded is no mean feat.

How has a group like Mafikizolo not only stayed together, but more importantly remained so popular, we ask. Nhlanhla has no difficulty in answering. ‘The thing that keeps people loving us, besides the music, is our humility,’ she says. We’ve been in the game for a very long time, having played to presidents and travelled the world, but we’re still very humble. We’re not arrogant and we don’t have airs and graces. Our feet are firmly on the ground, and we remain respectful and very grateful for all the success we’ve enjoyed. Humility before all else.’

COMMON VISION
Musically, Mafikizolo’s talent and skill shine through in their ability to evolve, reinvent themselves and remain relevant in a world filled with the likes of amapiano and Afrobeat. ‘We are a pop group,’ says Theo. ‘We need to write and record Afropop, which is completely different to the music we made five, 10 or 15 years ago. We also look to working with different, young up-and-coming producers who can add their flavour to what we do as a group, without compromising what we do at our core.’

Talent is one thing, but an extended partnership is something else again. The glue that holds Theo and Nhlanhla together is another aspect that separates Mafikizolo from many groups whose musical marriages battle to stay the course. ‘What keeps us together is the common vision we both have,’ Nhlanhla points out.

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JOY TO THE WORLD
The holidays are there to be filled with love and laughter, something these two hitmakers continue to deliver in truckloads. With Indwala as the backing track, this year’s festive season is sure to be a memorable one.

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