Johannesburg - Esteemed singer-songwriter Langa Mavuso shares interesting details about his involvement in the newly launched campaign that celebrates and supports local musicians.
With the South African creative industry known to have its ups and downs, Mavuso aims to be a beacon of light for musicians who need recognition.
The aim of the campaign, "Keep Shining," is to shine the spotlight on local musicians and celebrate the contributions they have made to keep the local music industry alive.
Asked what being part of the campaign meant to him, Mavuso said: "Being a part of this campaign means a lot, not only to me but to all artists in South Africa.
" We’ve faced some tough times. Some great live music venues have closed down, and we’re missing out on such opportunities. For a brand like White Star to come out and say that we recognise the struggles you face and that we celebrate you for the music you’ve brought to the lives of many South Africans is really a big deal for me. That is why I am involved in this."
Speaking about the start of the campaign and its significance, the “Sunday Blues” hitmaker said everything started during Covid-19 pandemic and has since shown consistency in supporting artists.
"During Covid-19, when everything and every opportunity was closed to us, White Star was one of those brands that came out to support and celebrate us as young artists.
‘Not only did they call for more playlisting of local music, but they also supported us financially when we weren’t making money as artists. They started a campaign,"Shayna ngeWhite Star," and I believe this year is a continuation of that campaign, and they’re still calling for more support from local musicians," said Mavuso.
He says they have teamed up with Radio 2000 to ensure that there is more playlisting of local music.
"Each week a different artist is brought on to “The Drive Connection” with Paul Mnisi, and we talk about matters that are happening in our industry and also some challenges we face.
“Not only that, but we also celebrate each other as artists. So, an artist is brought onto the show each week and is also asked to share about five South African artists they would like to celebrate, and one of those artists is actually called during the show to give them some love and appreciation. Not only that, but we are also asked to share the music of those artists so that it can be played on the show. It’s really a great initiative."
He said they were asking South Africans to support more local music, to listen to more local music, to support live music venues, and to go to more local shows by their artists.
Mavuso further revealed another great platform and opportunity; he has an upcoming gig on June 25 at the Soweto Theatre. Tickets to the show can be found via Webtickets.
The Star