Fresh off a hot set at Zakes Bantwini’s Abantu concert at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town, DJ, artist and producer Mr Thela has announced the upcoming release of his new album.
The 24-year-old Simphiwe Sihawu from Samora Machel hails himself as a pioneer of Cape Town gqom and his smash hits have showcased this.
Thela was the closing act for Bantwini’s game-changer of a concert.
Initially, the Capetonian was placed during a day slot but his fans and management felt he deserved a better slot and talks began resulting in playing as the last act, much to the delight of his fans.
“My experience playing at Abantu was one of the greatest experiences. The gig showed me the connection and impact that I and my music have with the people.
“Getting the closing set comes with a a lot of pressure but we delivered what people wanted and that was great music and I also wanna say thanks to Abantu, Zakes and the people for believing in me to close the show for them.”
‘Tronics Land Series 2’ is a follow-up album to his first solo project by the same name which was released a year ago and will have 16 tracks featuring amapiano heavyweights Njelic, Leehleza and Kammu Dee amongst others.
Creating music is something that brings Thela happiness. However, he does admit that narrowing the music can be a challenge, especially since he has a lot of unreleased music which his fans want to hear.
“My biggest challenge is self-inflicted. I tend to tease the music and then people want the songs to be released immediately. I then tend to find that I pick up elements of it that I need to polish and engineer a better version and that's it's a process.”
Many were initially introduced to the music producer when he was a part of the dynamic duo Mshayi & Thela, through their collaborative album ‘Make Cape Town Great Again’ which was certified platinum by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA).
Duo break-ups can be hard, especially for fans who get attached. Thela explained that the decision was a matter of growth and was amicable for all parties involved.
“I wanted to do things alone and on my own. I wanted to push myself beyond being an artist and producer, try being a business-savvy talent and see how far I can go.”
Since his departure, Thela has launched his record label Tronics Land, building his legacy for himself and his family.
“Mshayi and I are on good terms, I perform at Rands Cape Town every other week and I’m scheduled to play at the first Sunday event on November 5.
“Things are good, there’s no bad blood between us and things are the way they used to be when we were a duo.”
Paving his path so far is proving to be fruitful; he just recently returned from a two-week tour in the United Kingdom which saw him take on Birmingham and London.
“The UK was a lot of fun, a lot of learning, unlearning and it introduced me to a whole new level of understanding, in terms of understanding my artistry, my music and reach.
“I learnt that as SA artists we tend to focus on having a SA plan. However, the internet and access to social media forces us to plan globally. A trip to SONY Music UK the office made me realise this. We never know who is watching or listening.”
While the trip was a success, it did come with its set of challenges, Thela had to learn his new audience while on the decks, checking to see how they respond to his music.
His anticipated follow-up album ‘Tronics Land Series 2’ will be released November 17 just in time for the festive season and what better way to have his fans listen to his new album than a tour?
The producer has also announced that he will be embarking on a local tour starting with Durban, KwaZulu Natal, Gqeberha, East London, Johannesburg and Cape Town.
“My supporters can expect nothing but great entertainment, good music and there’s something for everyone in this new album.
“I think people will have a lot of nice times. I’ve included what people have been asking for through my teases, whether being the mixes I used to do or the Lives with SKYY Vodka.”
His fans can expect a music video coming soon and more music from the producer as he grows as an artist.