TUT FM Presenter Sibusiso Mahlangu just released a gospel album and Soshanguve Times reporter, Andiswa Ngenyane, caught up with him in a Q and A session.
AN: Tell us about yourself
SM: I was born 1983 in Mabopane and later moved to Soshanguve. I work for TUT FM and I present the TUT Am Rush show.
AN: Is this your first album?
SM: No, this is my third album, but there’s a story to it. While recording my second album I got too busy with acting as an extra on Generations The Legacy, Skeem Saam and Muvhango. I was also doing some acting on movies on the side. So I stopped recording the album and when I finally decided to do this album, I took songs that I had already done for the second album and added them here. I am also running a company so that also takes a bit of my time.
AN: What has been the response to your first album?
SM: When I recorded my first album I knew nothing, I just recorded the album, because I wanted to and because people were pushing me to record. Although I did not promote the album, it became popular and got me recognized as a gospel singer.
AN: Do you sing other genres?
SM: I do gospel, house, RnB and Afro pop. As long as a song makes sense to me, I do it. In fact there is an Afro pop song on the album, track 14, it’s titled “Ngizokulinda.” A gospel musician can sing a love song because I believe God is love. People should stop expecting gospel musicians to sing just gospel and be a specific type of people. We are also human at the end of day.
AN: What challenges did you face when recording this album and how long did it take you to record?
SM: It took me four weeks and yes, producing an album is expensive and I did not have sponsors so I had to pay everything from my pocket.
AN: How do you balance being a presenter, singer, an actor and owning a company all at the same time? Does it not get too much?
SM: It does get too much sometimes, I have to skip my presenting shows but at least with the company I have people delegated there and I don’t have to be there all the time.
AN: If you were to choose between all four things that you do what would you choose?
SM: I studied radio so i will never leave radio. I will leave singing though, but I will be behind the scenes as a producer.
