If she not in the studio making good music, 25 year old Makhadzi will be trending on social media.
She has made a name for herself in South African music.
The proof is in the success of her last album, Khokhova, which is still on the charts and also branded as the most streamed female artist on Apple Music for 2021.
That success didn’t stop her from releasing her new project, African Queen, adding that her music has crossed borders, and therefore, speaks to who she is in music, an African queen.
According to the singer, her songs have received love from places such as Botswana, Namibia, Nigeria and Tanzania, regardless of the language barriers that her tshiVenda music might pose.
“This shows that I am a true African queen because I managed to bring everyone together through music, something that has been done by other great giants around the continent. I am just picking up that baton and making music that resonates with everyone,” she said.
Before enjoying this commercial success Makhadzi, real name Ndivhudzannyi Ralivhona, released seven traditional albums, with her first release coming at the tender age of 15.
“I never thought today I would be Makhadzi, the way I am today. Not to say I didn’t believe in myself in the first place, but I started doing music purely because of love and nothing else. I didn’t mind going to perform in front of shops, with the sun blazing hot, to get the little money – but without knowing that, one day, I would be where I am today,” she said.
The energetic muso started her career in entertainment as a dancer for a traditional group that predominantly performed at weddings and other traditional events.
“When I hustled by myself, no one believed in my talent then. I bought myself a small speaker and went in front of shops to sing. At that time, I didn’t think about money, regardless of the fact that I was from a poor background. I just wanted to sing, doing what I loved. I used to approach big festivals, hitch-hike my way there just so I could sing. That is how much I love doing what I do,” she said.
Her 19-track album features chart-topping artists such as Cassper Nyovest, Lady Du, Kabza de Small, Mlindo the Vocalist, Mr Brown and Prince Benza, among others.
Source: Sunday Independent