Fame and fortune came to Redd Angel (real name Jerome Matin), who will be performing at Krakatoa, at Sibaya, tonight (10pm) and tomorrow (11pm), in the most unexpected way. It was simply a case of him being at the right place at the right time.
In 2000, Redd Angel and his former partner were busy handing out flyers at a Cape Town petrol station, urging people to attend one of their club gigs. Aside from being an aspiring singer, he was also a DJ.
Angel, unwittingly, caught the attention of Unie Moller, owner of Sexy Records UK, who happened to overhear him singing Fabulous Day. Moller was so impressed with him that he immediately offered the disbelieving singer a record deal.
A week later, Angel was presented with an official contract. Having released his debut album Fabulous Vol. 1, it can be safely said that he is presently riding the crest of success in the musical industry.
However, the journey has not exactly been a blissful one - along with the good times there have been some rough patches, which Angel says he's still trying to get through.
"My former partner used to use my name to get himself gigs, which I never knew about and therefore I never pitched up. Having my name dragged through the mud was the worst for me, especially since I worked so hard to make a name for myself," he explains.
"I have managed to prove that Redd Angel is on the same level as international artists. Having gone solo, the style of my music is more on the positive side with tracks from the debut album like Man in the Mirror, a cover song we chose. It was a perfect follow up to I'm Sorry."
Did he envision Fabulous Vol. 1 becoming the success that it is?
"Yes and no. Yes, because the album took 3 to 4 years to complete. I wanted to make sure the album was of an international standard. However, I never thought that I would be up against musical big dogs like Mandoza or Danny K. It is still kind of shocking," reveals Angel.
Touching on his nomination for Best Pop album at this year's SAMA awards, the singer has mixed reactions about the acknowledgement.
"I am glad that people recognise that there is a good artist out there. However, I could not understand why they played Fabulous Day, which released in 2001 and we are now in 2005, when Man in the Mirror is the bigger track. Yet they played the latest song by Danny K and Mandoza. Clearly, there is too many politics involved. But, hey it's okay - I'll try again next year."
Angel says his fans can expect great entertainment from him tonight and tomorrow.
"I will be performing some tracks from Fabulous Vol 1 and they can also expect to hear some unreleased and brand new songs. It will be a flavourful genre mix of hip-hop, R&B, up-tempo, house and a bit of two-step."
Angel says Vol. 2 is in the pipeline. "The release will reflect my growth and it will be more locally rooted. Tickets cost R80. Call 031 580 5555 for more details.