Sliq Angel slips out of a dark pit to rise as a star

Published Apr 18, 2018

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The story of musician Sliq Angel is one that has been heard many times in relation to celebrities who have fallen from grace and disappeared from the radar.

They had it all - the fame, the talent, the riches and the adoring fans.

And then they lost it all, finding themselves in a very dark place. With everything gone, talent was the only thing that remained and they used it to pull themselves from the dark pit of hopelessness.

Sliq Angel, real name Ndixolele Mbali, was no different. At his peak, his song Amantongomane was on rotation on many radio stations and he was one of the most sought-after Afropop artists.

But he lost it all, including his house. He also left his label as he was not making any money and joined another, but it was no better.

Today, he's picked himself up and, after being away from the music scene for quite some time, the Duncan Village-born music sensation is set to release a new album at the end of net month.

In a candid interview with The Star, Angel spoke about a wide range of issues relating to his journey in the music industry and the challenges he continues to face.

The 42-year-old, who has been in the music industry since the early 2000s, has released four albums: Sliq Angel, Sun Rise, Isizalo and Umngqusho. He said he was looking forward to releasing his fifth album.

“Funnily enough, I haven't found the name of the album. I'm still going to decide." He plans to release it at the end of next month.

"The beautiful thing about it is that I've worked with young people, so it has a different sound. It's still my sound but it represents the new me and I've done it live.

"The album is all about the African sound. It's got a lot of skill in it. It has a mix of mbaqanga and maskandi,” he said.

Some of the songs that Angel’s fans can expect are: Mbhombhela, Sana Wami and Nomasundu.

Nomasundu is the name of the album that Angel and MXO did under their group called Roots200.

He said he decided to add the song to his new album to celebrate his mother, Nomasundu.

“I was raised by my mother who was a nurse. I only met my father when I was 17 and he has since passed on.

“We are three siblings at home and it was really difficult being raised by a single mother. She has passed away but one of the songs in the line-up is dedicated to her.

“Single mothers go through hardship and remain strong. In appreciation of all strong women, I decided to write this song. My mother taught me love,” said Angel, who writes from the heart.

Another song that has a story behind it is Mbhombhela.

“Mbhombhela is a train. It reminds me of back when I was young, when I was in love. I ran away with the lover of my life at that time.

"We used to travel together in the train. Our families didn't want us to be together, but we found a way to be together. We came to Joburg. Time went on and she had to go back home (the Eastern Cape),” he said.

After releasing two albums with Sony and one with Gallo Record Company, Angel has decided to go solo. He said he left the record labels partly because of the lack of distribution and money.

“Sony released two albums: Sliq Angel and Sunrise. I left the company because they had a problem with distribution. Even though marketing was there, distribution was a major problem.

"After releasing an album, I would go to stores to try and buy it and would be told that it was out of stock.

"I was making money out of shows, but in terms of CD sales I wasn't making money. I had to decide, move and find myself another company and that was Gallo,” said a resolute Angel.

Things still did not work out at Gallo and he left it too because “it had its own problems”.

Since then, Angel has been working independently.

In 2010 he partnered with MXO and they released an album called Nomasundu. Without the support of a big label, Angel had to use word of mouth to promote it.

“I started work on my own, selling the album on the streets. We've been going to the streets, grassroots marketing. I managed to make money compared to when I was with a record label,” he said.

Angel said things were not easy for him as he struggled along the way.

“I decided to go on my own. I don't want to lie, I struggled to get myself out there. I tried, I really tried. When I started to work for myself, that is when I realised I could no longer live as before.”

Despite being able to get his music out there on his own, he encountered serious financial challenges that led to him having to sell his house.

“I had a house and I lost it. Paying for a house for 20 years is a long time. When things changed and, not having the money I used to make, I fell short. I had to sell my house. I told myself that I'm going to work hard in order to get another house. The banks were on my case. I used some of that money to buy land in the Eastern Cape,” he said.

Angel said he's learnt some important lessons along the way, after everything he's undergone.

“One thing I've learnt in the past about these companies is that they think for themselves. As an artist working alone, I've learnt that people are hungry to go out and work. I can't cry, the talent is in me.

“I have to go out and sell myself. I also have to do PR (public relations) or work with people who know PR, people who want to work. Back then I didn't have a financial background,” said Angel.

He has described his new chapter as "Greater things about to happen".

“I had to go through that experience, know about the business.

"This time round I'd like to sell about a million copies. I'll be in control of my music and I want to take my music to the people.

"I'm going to go out and make sure that people get my music. Distribution is a major problem in our country,” said Angel.

@SthembisoMedia

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