Thandiswa Mazwai
Irene Madonko talks to South African singer songwriter Thandiswa Mazwai, one third of kwaitio pioneers Bongo Maffin, to find out how South African divas survive the industry (Staying Power, part 1).
South Africa has birthed various generations of music queens. Remember Miriam Makeba and Dorothy Masuka ? They gave way to Yvonne Chaka Chaka and the late Brenda Fassie . But as those generations take a back seat, they make room for a younger generation of divas. This newer crop hit the scene shortly after the country's independence in 1994 and while other girls came and went, they hung in there and survived the rough sailing in the industry. We caught up with Thandiswa Mazwai and Judith Sephuma , two of the country's top acts. Now these two women may be different, yet they both exuberate resilience. Just how far have they come and how do they handle issues like drugs, shady record deals and the music industry in general? We tried to crack the puzzle.
(Another South African diva who was supposed to be interviewed for part 3 of this feature was Lebo Mathosa who sadly passed away on 23 October 2006.)
Striking and snazzy, Thandiswa Mazwai is no push over. She began her career around about 1996. She shot to fame as the hip female member of Bongo Maffin , one of the hardest kwaito bands to come out of South Africa. The group has toured all corners of the globe, including Europe and America, singing alongside Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan and Sean Paul. Four albums and eight years later, she decided to do a solo project, the album 'Zabalaza'. And don't think it's over yet, because this queen bee is still bubbling over. Read on to get my gist:
What was the biggest challenge you faced when you started out?
To find a voice. I got into the industry by mistake. I was messing around with my friends in the studio. At the time I was at university, studying literature. When you are a student, you really don't care. The challenge came when I had to define what musician I wanted to be.
What was your worst experience while on tour in the early days?
This is Africa, so you can have that (bad experiences). I can have that even today. I remember playing at a place where there was no stage and the drums were on the grass. The whole place was a stage and you could walk around and interact with the audience, which was beautiful. We were performing with Brenda (Fassie), and I remember her walking between the audience, mingling with them. She was so good and we were just babies.
Word was that your father was opposed to your decision to be a singer?
At the time when we entered the industry, Brenda was big. And my father was like, 'Oh no! Are you going to get into this woman's footsteps?' You know the drugs and so on. Also there were so many negative perceptions about women in the industry, for example looseness. My father is a journalist. My biggest challenge was to prove to my family that I was not going against them and what they stood for.
What do you remember about the Bongo Maffin days?
I just remember rocking stages.
Was it always smooth within the band?
Of course we had quarrels, but that's why we are still together 10 years later. We are fundamentally a family. There's a lot of love.
Which is your favourite Bongo Maffin album?
They are all so different because they were recorded at different stages in our lives.
How would you describe the South African music industry?
It is an open space with lots of opportunity where anything can happen. We are an industry open to experimentation, unlike hip-hop in the States, where if you deviate, you're out. Our generation is defining the whole industry. We are defining relationships between artists and record labels. With new technology, artists can set up their own websites. They can promote and market themselves.
Have you always had a fair deal from your record company?
If it were up to me, I wouldn't be selling music because it is too priceless and too valuable to sell. How do you put a price to a person's feelings – the work of going deep down inside of your soul?
Some South African musicians are homeless. Have you experienced anything near this?
It may have happened to me as a student. I went through stages everyone goes through. I've always been self-sufficient. Half the time I don't blame others for the things that happened to me; I don't blame the industry and so on. If I'm in a situation, I ask what am I going to do about it? I know people (musicians) whom I admire, who don't have money or a place to stay. This makes me so sad. Sometimes I have an impulse to get on a train or bus and go somewhere and do something and just live. But when I come back I am broke and I need money!
Are female musicians in South Africa taken seriously or are they simply sex symbols?
I think women are too powerful to ignore. Whether we are dressing in mini skirts or long dresses with our fist raised in the air shouting 'Revolution!' - they cannot ignore us. I loved Brenda for her boldness and Miriam Makeba, who is also so graceful.
Some musicians in your country have been causalities of cocaine. What drives them to it?
The first time I heard about it (cocaine) was not from a musician, but a politician. But because musicians' lives are out there, you are able to point a finger at us. It feels like the suicide generation. People are trying to numb that, trying not to feel something. There's a fundamental sadness in our time. I survived because I managed to find a happy place – a knowing that you are safe and the universe loves you, and you are not alone. When burying Lebo Mathosa, I was shattered – I still am. In the midst of all those tears, we found somewhere to laugh. People want to hold onto sadness, and these things grow and manifest. We need to find a place where we can hold onto the joys of our lives, and this propels us. People over the world have the saddest experiences. We are here because we survive and survival is about joy not sadness.
Are there musicians you know that are battling cocaine addiction?
I know a lot of people who are battling with drugs. But I say, 'Look, baby, whatever is hurting you, you need to deal with it.'
Do you think musicians with AIDS get support from other musicians, their record label or the government?
No. No one with AIDS gets support from anyone in the world. The world needs to care more about each other's well being. We try here, but it is very easy for a person to feel alone in the world. We all know we are going to die. What I'm trying to say is this world can be a lonely place. Can everyone love people a little bit more?
Apart from winning awards, which is your most precious moment to date?
Well, my whole life has been a highlight. Everything that has happened has been a highlight, including my daughter Malaika. Even the sad moments have been a highlight.
Which man is or has been the love of your life?
All of them have been the loves of my life.
Which one in particular?
(Laughs) All of them!
What's the secret of your staying power?
I do think about why I haven't disappeared. It is because I am alive, and as long as I'm alive, I've got to do something.
What do you think you will always be remembered for?
I can't answer that because I may not die now. Some people for breaking their hearts and others for loving them to death.
Listen: Nizalwa Ngobani - Taken from Thandiswa's album ' Zabalaza ' (Gallo Records / GWVCD59)
Listen: Kura Uone (Grow up & You Will See) - Taken from Bongo Maffin's album ' New Construction ' (Gallo Records/ CDDCC013)