LISTEN: Mlethwa believes Maskandi music has reached its apex
Women must be loved and respected at all times – Majola.
Southerner Mlethwa Majola has recently released an EP, Sondela, where he dedicated a song to women.
He said people love his songs, that’s why he did an EP instead of a single.
This Maskandi artist said he changed the style.
“I want people to know that if you sing Maskandi, you can also do other genres. I love every genre as long as the song is great. I can do any type of music. I don’t sing Maskandi because I grew up listening and doing it, but because I love it,” noted Majola.
He said he sees Maskandi music at the end of its lifetime.
“I think no one will surpass the history that Khuzani Mpungose has done. We cannot run away from the fact that he is currently the best in Maskandi music and no one has done what he did. There are also minimum chances that there will be someone better than him.
“Even the style many artists adopt is not the true Maskandi style, which shows it has reached its pinnacle. We know every genre has its lifespan where it will be popular. What I see that will replace Maskandi will be Big Zulu and Sjava. Their collaboration is great, and so is the way they put their music together.
“Today’s Maskandi artists are no longer the same, even though we changed the music to another level. Hence, I have done something different.
“There is a song on this EP, Musa ukumbulala, dedicated to women. I want people to take its message, especially men, to respect women. I did this song to honour and respect women as August is their month,” he said.
More on Majola
Mlethwa has won two SATMA awards for best newcomer and best video.
He urges support to continue working on great Maskandi songs.
With over eight albums under his belt, he is still going strong because his music contains a message for everyone.
He started in 1998 with a group called Izintombi zikaMajola. He then went solo in 2010 with the album Siyabakhumbula.
Mlethwa believes Maskandi taught him perseverance and love because this genre is often not popular.
During the SATMA awards, they also acknowledged him for the most downloaded music. He has done much in his community, including performing, hosting events for children and motivating offenders in prisons.
An interesting fact
An extended play (EP) is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. Contemporary EPs contain four to five tracks and are considered ‘less expensive and time-consuming’ for an artist to produce than an album.
