DURBAN R&B singer, songwriter, actor and presenter is well on his way to becoming a global phenomenon in the entertainment industry, after signing a global deal with Warner Music South Africa this year.
Growing up, Sandile Cedric Mfusi’s (aka Masandi) talents were evident from a young age. At age seven he began singing at church as well as in talent shows in his neighborhood. While at Glenwood High School, he was the lead trumpeter in the school brass band.
After matriculating in 2006 Masandi pursued a degree in the Social Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Howard College majoring in Marketing Management and Media. While completing his degree, his love for the performing arts continued to flourish, and he added acting and modeling to his repertoire.
It was during this period that he joined a hip-hop group called Niche Fam where he became the lead singer. Niche Fam achieved success speedily – quickly becoming a household name in KZN as well as generating a lot of buzz throughout the country. In 2011 their efforts were rewarded richly when they received the award for Music Group of the Year at the IKUSASA Awards.
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In 2013 Masandi took his acting career to the next level when he accepted a role on one of South Africa’s most popular drama series, Isibaya. Masandi played the character Jojo, and he also managed to land a role as a lead character on a movie called Sugar Mama which was released in 2014.
The year 2014 marked the beginning of his solo music career. The release of his first single Bring it Back was received positively. Playlisted on all the leading radio stations and receiving much media acclaim – the hit single attracted the attention of legendary rapper KO. He was so impressed that he invited Masandi to studio, where the two created the hit single One Time.
Masandi then released his first single Ngane Yabantu under the stable in 2016, which quickly gained heavy rotation across radio stations in the country, and the debut video was also well received by Channel O, MTV Base and Trace.
He has since gone on to work with Big Nuz, Gemini Major, Aewon Wolf and Captain Blu (Nigeria) and has shared stages with Rick Ross, Lil Wayne and Trey Songz, all the while he has been carving his own niche with a fresh blend of R&B, soul, maskandi, and hip-hop.
In 2019 he began working on his debut album, and towards the end of the year, he landed a role on the Emmy Award nominated telenovela The River, which escalated his acting career to greater heights.
Masandi recently signed a deal with Warner Music South Africa, an achievement he is very proud of. He recently released his major label debut, Ithemba, a song which is a blend of traditional and modern gospel elements.
Commenting on his single, Masandi said: “This was honestly the first song that I had connected to on a deeper level, it was a spiritual experience. I remember the day Dj Gukwa sent the beat to me, I played it on repeat, while tears were rolling down my face. I got behind the mic at my home studio set up, no lyrics, and just poured my heart out in melody. The song, which is quite apt to the times we find ourselves in, is about hope. It’s a reminder for us to maintain faith and remember that God is always listening to our prayers. ”
Connect with Masandi on Facebook, Twitter: @Team__masandi and Instagram: @team_masandi.
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