A capella group, The Soil, have released their much-anticipated second album. The trio spoke to Therese Owen about the album and their unlikely success both here and abroad.
Who would have thought The Soil would be so gangster? But then again, who would have thought that an a capella group would sell double platinum in a genre dominated by rap and bubblegum house?
Ntsika, Phindo and Buhle have a positive, happy energy and are loads of fun to be around. And they like to laugh a lot.
They are in a particularly fun mood because of the release and rather fast success of their second album, Nostalgic Moments. They have dined out on the success of their debut album since 2011 when they first burst onto the scene. However, their success was cumulative. And it was only by constant touring and playing large festivals that they broke on to the scene. Big time.
The thing is, you cannot help but fall in love with The Soil when you experience them live. Rapper Shugasmakx once told a story of how he saw them for the first time: “I was booked to perform in Port Shepstone. I’d heard about The Soil here and there, but nothing major.
“I get backstage and the audience is singing every word to these people’s stuff. I am like, ‘what’s happening here?’ They were rocking this stage and I was up next. My DJ had to play for 15 minutes just to calm the crowd down before I got on stage.”
It is this popularity which has also seen them play Russia, various countries in Africa and they recently returned from performing at the Apollo Theatre in New York City with Simphiwe Dana and Tumi and the Volume. Hugh Masekela was the MC on the night.
“It took us 30 seconds into our first song and the crowd was clapping along,” says Ntiska.
“They connected with us and it told people what we are about which is perfection”
Of their success, the three of them firmly believe that it has to do with their relationship with God.
“We are not a triangle,” says Phindo. “We are a square because God sends us songs in our dreams. He is the first member. We are a complete square, now and forever.”
They also say that their success is because of their uniqueness.
“We are unique in an industry which is so clustered with recycled music,” explains Buhle.
“When we came with our music it was a breath of fresh air and we were the only young group doing this. We took a capella to the big stages. Also, the stories we tell are from Soweto, but those stories resonate in other parts of the world, those same Soweto stories.”
It was inevitable that they would record a song with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, whom they love.
“We know, Joseph Shabalala is retired, but he wanted to record with us kids,” says the talkative Ntsika. “He says we are the young Mambazo, but funkier. It was difficult not to cry when he was in the room. That day was meant to happen like it did.”
Their first single from the new album features Khuli Chana.
“We are a fan of Khuli and vice versa. We bumped into him at the airport, returning from the US,” recalls Ntsika. “And we agreed to work together.” The result is a love song called Susan.
Of the recording process, Buhle says: “We’re so comfortable doing pre-production in Ntsika’s home because we see his home as our home. We always start a session with a prayer and it was so much fun. It took three years to conceptualise this album and four months to record.”
Meet the members of The Soil
Therese Owen
Ntsika Ngxanga, Phindo Ngxanga and Buhle Mda have become household names due to the success of their debut album
and their new release, Nostalgic Moments. Tonight interviewed them separately to find out more about them individually.
Buhle Mda
What is your favourite song the album?
Andinanto. It is one of our old songs that we revamped for this year. It talks about current youth issues like drugs. It’s a prayer to the Lord. I come from a gospel background.
What is your favourite childhood memory?
When I was still in crèche they made me the choir conductor because I was so hyperactive.
That is when my parents thought
I might just sing one day.
What is your favourite Soil gig?
It must be the first time we played the Buyelekhaya in East London in 2012. It was like a dream. The audience just sang all the lyrics. When we sang our hit, Joy, there was this unified movement. It was out of this world.
What do you do to relax?
I don’t think I relax. I only relax when I am sleeping. Sometimes I like to burn incense and listen to my father’s jazz collection. He’s got good taste, like Jonas Gwangwa.
I like to meditate and pray.
Phindo Ngxanga
What is your favourite song on the album?
Unspoken Words. It relates more with me. It’s funny how we are not singing any words on the song, but your can feel it in your own space. It uplifts me and then my life and my day continues.
What is your favourite childhood memory?
I have a lot. I went with my brothers to the park to do gymnastics, like tumbling. I
did my first-ever tumbler and that’s when I started to understand that my body could do anything. I started doing more sports and
I am also a good dancer.
What is your favourite Soil gig?
That would be when we played the Amstel Golden Hour at Hazelmere Dam. They sponsored everything for us. We had fireworks and big screens. It was so overwhelming. I remember thinking, ‘is this really me?’ We had waves of the word “joy” as the crowd was singing it
as an echo.
What do you do to relax?
I play X-Box and chill with
my boys. I like going out and visiting my friends. I also like watching soccer and I often go to the stadium to watch Orlando Pirates. I am big fan of Orlando Pirates.
Ntsika Ngxanga
What is your favourite song on the album?
I like Noma Ungahamba. This
song came to us when we were performing Pata Pata during
the soundcheck. This song would have easily been played by Miriam Makeba. It represents an era when Dorothy Masuka and them were singing in Sofiatown.
What is your favourite childhood memory?
I was eight years old and imitated Sisqo. I died my hair silver and had a white costume on with no microphone. The audience applauded and the teacher gave me a small pack of biscuits and a juice.
What is your favourite Soil gig?
The most recent gig at the Apollo Theatre. That show was just perfect. Before we went on stage Bra Hugh and ourselves hugged and he whispered to us not to disappoint us. He said we were representing South Africa on a big international stage. It calmed us down and they gave us a two- minute encore.
What do you do to relax?
I watch a lot of films. I love novels; my bookshelf is running out of space. I also write songs for others.
Khuli collab sure to grow trio’s success
THE Soil’s Ntsika Ngxanga rolls up his sleeves and smiles: “I googled how they dressed in the’50s and I saw that they like
to roll up their sleeves.”
We are on the video set for the new Soil single from their latest album, Nostalgic Moments. The love song is called Susan and features Khuli Chana.
The set is an old, old house complete with furniture straight from the ’50s. There is a large verandah where the makeup lady has set up and in the attic director Bruce Patterson of Pilot Films is directing Scandal actor, Jason Willemse.
Chana is nowhere to be seen, having gone to find appropriate shoes as the postman in the video.
Ntsika is chuffed with himself as he conceptualised the video:
“I made up the storyline when
we were playing in Manchester. It’s about a guy who is out the country and missing his lover. He writes her a letter with all the memories they have made together. The beautiful thing is that he caresses Susan’s name on the envelope and when the hand caresses back it’s her hand and she’s received the letter.”
Between takes, Tonight photographer, Antoine de Ras, organises an impromptu photo-shoot with the trio. Buhle Mda cheekily pretends to eat a piece of the large cactus in the garden.
Then as the crew are setting up a jimmy boom, De Ras moves the shoot into the homely kitchen which has a large table upon which Mda perches. After a while she smiles and asks: “Do you still want me on the table?” Girl be gangsta and she has tattoos! She has a flirtatious relationship with cameras.
Khuli arrives and changes
into his suit. He transforms from naughty hip hop kid into the rock star he truly is.
The music starts for another take with Patterson urging the trio to give as much energy as possible, and, boy, do they give energy.
Khuli gets into the mood by dancing ’50s style off-shot. When it’s his turn to rap, he glides in on cue. The Soil smile at him and the chemistry is tangible. There is magic in this room.
This track is going to be a hit. This is a big one for South African music and I am privileged to watch history in the making. Chana
and The Soil together – a goose bump moment.