#RIPMshoza: Tributes pour in for ‘larger-than-life’ Sonto
'I can’t believe Sonto is gone at such a young age. This has been such a terrible year,' said producer Oscar Mlangeni.
Late Kwaito musician, Mshoza. Picture: Instagram
The news about the musician, Nomasonto Maswanganyi – better known as Mshoza – passing has left many heartbroken.
Social media posts, hashtagged #RIPMshoza, continue to flood in as fans, family and friends pay tribute to the death of the kwaito star.
Veteran producer Oscar Mlangeni discovered Mshoza at a young age and watched her blossom.
A very broken Oscar shared: “I’m shattered, I can’t believe Sonto is gone at such a young age. This has been such a terrible year. It doesn’t make sense, she was still a child to me. To me she was unique and super talented. I discovered them as kids [her and the artist formerly known as Mzambiya].
“At a young age, she wanted to be rich and larger than life. From youth she lived her dreams, she didn’t settle for less than the best. She fulfilled this dream. She was a committed hard worker who lived every day to its fullest and was an excellent mom to her kids,” he said.
Producer Mzwandile Shongwe, who worked on Mshoza’s Mshoza Bhoza, spoke fondly of the singer: “The young Mshoza I worked with was sweet, kind and respectful. As she got older, it was always a pleasure to touch base with her and we’d always be excited to touch base, get an update on her business plans and she’d always maintain that respectful stance.”
She signed to Oscar Mlangeni and Nimrod Nkosi’s BullDawgz record company and released her triple-platinum-selling debut album, BullDawgz First Lady, in 2001.
Mshoza collaborated with other well-known kwaito stars such as kid Nkosinathi “Mzambiya” Zwane and Siboniso “Msawawa” Dlamini.
Model Refilwe Modiselle said she was heartbroken at news of Mshoza’s death and remembered a time when she worked with the star on a conversation about colourism.
How Mshoza, Sis how, why why why ????????????????????. This is a memory from Hush a show I presented with Zola Hashatsi. The last project we worked on was for Slikouronlife addressing Colourism.
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Iyoh 2020….
Sweetest soul ever filled with love. ????️????????️.
Rest in peace sthandwa. pic.twitter.com/58XUgA51uN— Refilwe Modiselle (@vanillablaq) November 19, 2020
South African Music Award nominee Moonchild Sanelly was also amongst those who remembered Mshoza.
In 2019 TimesLive reported that Mshoza gave props to Moonchild for embracing her body the way she had. This was after Moonchild received negative feedback after she posted a semi-nude picture of herself.
#RIPMshoza
What a strong free person u were???? pic.twitter.com/DS8pweRn0Y— MoonchildSA Moon (@MoonchildSAMoon) November 19, 2020
Comedian Tumi Morake reminisced about the day she and Mshoza shared a shoot together.
#RIPMshoza Feels like a lifetime ago when this shoot happened. Thank you for the music, living unapologetically and for being such a cool person. And standing up for others when you didn’t have to. ???? pic.twitter.com/yMG8zGcuIX
— AndThenMamaSaid ????✊???????????? (@tumi_morake) November 19, 2020
READ MORE: Amstel Maboa speaks out on ‘workaholic’ Mshoza’s passing
Complied by Thami Kwazi and Sonri Naidoo
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