‘I realised that you need to stand for something’
MIDRAND – South Africa’s music industry has a long history of iconic musicians adding a special touch to RnB and pop music, weaving out an authentic and local spin to the global genres
– timeless sounds that still echo to this day and now, Midrand resident and Punchline Media crooner, Tony X has his sights set on taking SA RnB to the next level. Through his unique approach to the genre, Tony X brings a fresh new face to the local RnB scene and has set his sights on appeasing the industry’s thirst for a new superstar male singer.
With the local RnB still struggling to establish itself as a solid mainstream genre, Tony X said he aspires to pioneer the genre’s rebirth. “I grew up on the likes of Chris Brown and Omarion, so, my influence has always been from the States.
I felt that our RnB wasn’t really appreciated and me going back, I realised that this was our sound and growing up, I realised that you need to stand for something. “When people see you, they need to remember you for something.
“That’s what influenced the whole direction in the sound and it’s the best time to be an African artist right now, I want to be able to represent something.” Having been relatively quiet since releasing his debut EP, Just In Case over a year ago, Tony X has been patiently crafting his take on the RnB sound – a sound which he said was more of a representation of who he is and reminiscent of the timelessness of authentic South African.
“During the course of us just working on music, my producer, PRxFND, and I wanted to capture a feeling and when we did our homework we decided to go back and see what our people were listening to and started listening to what South Africans consider as RnB.”
Through their attempt to capture the timeless essence of SA music, Tony X and PRxFND birthed Lerato, a soft, smooth and colourful ballad that speaks of young, African love. The single is about finally finding a love that compliments you in every way and sees Tony X’s sound come full-circle in its relatability with the masses.
“I believe that we shouldn’t neglect where we’re from and the core of who we are,” Tony X explained. “As much as the culture is moving forward in terms of sound, it’s our responsibility to keep our authenticity and that’s what I want to do and I think we’re doing it with Lerato.”
ALSO READ: WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY: SA celebrities, sporting heroes and influencers celebrate teachers
