A cappella group Onset Music Group performed Riky’s songs 'Sondela' and 'You and I' on the day his family commemorated three years of his passing. Picture: Supplied
Riky Rick’s support of young people has strengthened his legacy among the youth.
Young a cappella group Onset Music Group performed Riky’s songs Sondela and You and I on the day his family commemorated three years of his passing.
“They were very touched, I could see from Riky Rick’s mom and sister Bianca. I could see from their eyes,” Onset Music Group member Simphiwe Hlakuva told The Citizen.
Hailing from Tembisa, Onset Music Group is made up of Thulani Makhoba, Lesedi Maphakela, Carol Malobola, Neo Msibi and Hlakuva.
Their performance was on 5FM’s 5 Take Over, hosted by Jodell Tantij, which was a tribute show to Rikhado Makhado, or Riky Rick as he was fondly known by his fans.
Riky took his own life in 2022 after battling with mental illness. Riky’s wife Bianca Naidoo and his mother Louisa Zondo, announced that a posthumous Riky album, Boss Zonke Forever, will be released in April.
ALSO READ: New Riky Rick album to be released a day after 10-year anniversary of ‘Family Values’
After listening to Onset Music Group perform, Zondo was overcome by emotions.
“That’s the power of the arts. If society doesn’t acknowledge that huge power of moving people, moving people to what directions we want life to take us, we’ve lost the plot. Culture and art centre our wellbeing,” said an emotional Zondo.
Speaking to The Citizen, Onset Music Group member Hlakuva said the impact of their music on Riky’s family wasn’t lost on them.
“We were so humbled by the positive response and we were so touched by how Riky Rick’s mom reacted to our music,” Makhoba said.
The group is yet to release a body of work but they have gained rapid recognition after their viral TikTok video performing their song Amaphupho.
@onsetmusic_group5 Onset Music Group – Amaphupho 🔥🥺❤️#SAMA28 #fyp #viral #soilmusic #music #singing #trending #zeenxumalo @Zee Nxumalo 🇸🇿 ♬ original sound – OnsetMusic_Group5
Makhoba said their singing was first steeped in igwijo, a South African tradition of collective singing that uses call and response and no instruments other than the voice.
“We were inspired by Black Mambazo. At first we started singing igwijo, then we sat down and we came up with an idea that we should start an a cappella group.”
“We wanted to start something different. We merge gwijo, R&B, Maskandi and Umbaqanga,” said Makhoba.
They recently released Voicenote, which is a single from their upcoming EP set to be released later this month.
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