Meet The Soil’s newest member

Munya Vomo

Once in a while, there is a supergroup that comes from nowhere and steals your heart. It is a group because it has members that we all know and love for different reasons.

Think about TLC from the ’90s. We had T-Boz, Left-Eye and Chilli who were all gifted in different ways. When Left-Eye died, some speculated that she would be replaced, but it never happened. It also didn’t happen when Michael S McCary left Boyz II Men or when Speedy did the same to Bongo Maffin.

So it was news when we learnt that the local a capella group, The Soil, had found a new member to temporarily step into the shoes of their only female singer, Buhle, who has decided to take a break for an unspecified period. Auditions were held and 20-year-old Theo Matshoba from Dobsonville, Soweto, won Buhle’s spot.

“I never thought I would get it. I watched the videos of the other ladies and I think they were really amazing,” said the excited Matshoba.

The decision to enter the competition was an easy one as she has been following The Soil’s career since their inception and knows their songs by heart.

“I have loved them right from the start. I know all their songs, but I could have never dreamt of being part of them. Seriously, I really don’t know why they went with me,” added Matshoba.

While she is now breaking into the industry, Matshoba has had a love for music for a very long time and all she was waiting for was the right moment.

“I think I realised that I could sing in about 2004, but I did not do anything about it until 2009. It was only then that I decided to sing at school and at some poetry sessions in Newtown on the weekends,” she said.

The music gig comes at a time when she needs to make huge decisions on where to go with her life.

“I am studying for a BA in psychology at the University of Johannesburg in Soweto. So with the music now calling me, I have decided to leave school for a bit and concentrate on performing. I can always go back to school, but this opportunity with The Soil comes once in a lifetime,” the singer pointed out.

Look out for Matshoba’s first big gig at Gold Reef City’s The Lyric on Friday from 7pm in the Gospel In Me concert.