Actress Lerato Mvelase is finally ready to let her voice be heard. The mother-of-two recently released her single Themba Lami, a song about believing in life.
“In terms of music, it has always been about waiting for the right time,” she says, adding that her connection to music has always been spiritual.
“That’s why we are all moved by it in some way. I didn’t want to do music for the sake of it. I wanted to find my voice and be sure of the message I am sending out there.”
With Themba Lami, the star wants people to see their life journey through the song.
“I’m inspired by how human beings can wake up every morning and get ready for the day and just know they are going to make it. So I wanted to talk about the belief you have in life, in yourself... in your dreams.
"It could be the belief in your children, spouse or God. I didn’t want to make Themba Lami just about me because I’m sharing it with the rest of the country and the rest of Africa. I wanted it to be a message everyone could relate to.”
Mvelase says the most important message of the song is for people to know that their time will come, when everything they hope for eventually works out.
Her offering is afro soul in house music. “I can only hope the people will support and appreciate it.”
The album release is only set for next year; for now, she wants to first "introduce" her sound.
Mvelase, who celebrates her birthday today, has just returned from a two-month stay in Cape Town for the legendary boxing musical King Kong.
She plays the role of Petal, a woman in love with King Kong, but her love is unrequited.
“The audience was amazing in Cape Town. We had full nights.”
Mvelase says her role is one many women can relate to.
“She’s a young woman moved by love. Everything she does is for her love of this man she feels so strongly for. She feels her love is worthy, but he sees someone else, and she lives with that reality, but luckily finds love with someone who was right under her nose the whole time.”
Mvelase laughs when she talks about how she always knew she would choose the creative arts as her profession.
“I’ve always been that child who loved attention, always wanted to tell stories and sing and dance, and lucky for me, my mom said 'do whatever you want to do'. I’ve been in the industry now for 22 years.”
She started in musical theatre in 1995 and continued to build her brand through television presenting and acting in shows like Home Affairs, Backstage, The Road, Isibaya and Saints and Sinners.
It’s a balancing act for the entertainer, as she starts shooting for Isibaya today, prepares for King Kong's opening at the Joburg Theatre on Tuesday and promotes her single.
“I’m willing to go through the struggles of branching into the music business not because I am trying to sing, but because I can.”
@mane_mpi