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Tsonga musician Mafamba wants to uplift young people. Photo: Noko Mashilo
Tsonga musician Mafamba wants to uplift young people. Photo: Noko Mashilo

Mafamba uses music to escape loneliness.

His mum Dina died when he was eight and the only memory he has of her was when she sang along with him.

“She was a sangoma and I always played drums for her whenever she had a call from the ancestors,” said Mafamba.

He was born Masingita Hlungwane 26 years ago in Xihoko Village in Tzaneen, Limpopo, and he plays traditional Tsonga music.

He said loneliness makes him write a song dedicated to his mum on each album he releases.

“That’s how strong the connection I have with her is.”

He will release his third album next month.

“It is not titled yet, but it has 10 tracks with songs like Sirhara-mbjana, Nghozi and Mosadi,”he said.

“Mosadi is in honour of my mother as I vowed to have at least one song about her. It is high tempo with the keyboard dominating.”

Mafamba has been working with veteran producer Joe Shirimani.

“I worked with Joe on my first album Salute in 2015,” he said.

The title track received airplay on Munghana Lonene FM.

“It was not meant to make a profit but to introduce me to the music industry,” he said.

“It was also part of giving thanks to the awesome God for changing my life for the better.”

In his second album titled Gandlati (waves), he compares his life to the waves because he is heading in the right direction.

The promising star said he was named Mafamba by his gogo, because he was always walking in and out of the house and busy writing and singing street songs.

He said he loves music as it is a good platform to create a positive attitude among Mzansi’s youth.

“I want the youth to do something with their talent, instead of waiting to be employed,” he said.

Madlayisani (trouble) is about boys who chat up girls at taverns and Mmawe is about his mum.

“I encourage the youth to respect and care about their mothers because once they are dead, you will never see them again.

“Maybe my new album will be called Princess Dina,” he said.

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