Pretoria - Traditional TshiVenda singer and songwriter Sikheli Junior has released his new album titled A Li Ngo Lala.
The album addresses some of the societal ills that are faced by many communities in our country.
The first single off the album is titled Vutshilo and is already a firm favourite with his fans.
“The world is changing at a fast pace. As an artist, it is my duty to talk about some of the challenges we face in my music. More so, with the coronavirus which has also added economic and mental strain to our already existing problems.
“Vutshilo is a song which gives hope and urges us to appreciate the gift of life while navigating through life’s daily challenges. We all go through good and bad times, but the most important thing is that we appreciate the gift of life, first and foremost,” he said.
This 11-track album features songs such as Fhuri, Ndi Lele Nnyi and O Tou Shoma.
The album was engineered by Zwivhuya Munyai, and the mixing and mastering was done by Robert T.
Sikheli Junior, whose real name is Mudodwa Nengudza, said he appreciated that music kept people going through the initial lockdown stages.
“Music is a gift. We need all the support we can get from all stakeholders. Music heals. I would really appreciate it if we can be appreciated as artists by fans buying our music online.”
The album is available on all digital music platforms.
Sikheli Junior always had a knack for music. Growing up at Tshifudi village in the Vhembe district of Limpopo, he knew he was going to end up being a professional artist.
Though his musical foundation is choral music and reggae, he went on to be a traditional TshiVenda artist due to the connection to cultural preservation, heritage and knowledge sharing through his writing.
This was evident when he won his first and only award to date, for the Best TshiVenda Album for his debut album Ladzani Shango, at the South African Traditional Music Awards for 2013. The album was released in 2012.
He has since gone on to release five more albums.
Sikheli Junior has earned a loyal following in the eight years he has been in the music industry. He founded Athletes Studio in 2019.
He has had nominations since 2012 for all his previous albums, at the South African Traditional Music Awards, TshiVenda Music Awards and the Limpopo Music Awards.
Pretoria News