Idols SA was a television phenomenon that had legions of fans.
At the end of each season, a winner is crowned but these artists very seldom make it out the gate or stay on track long enough to offer us something more than a fleeting moment of creativity.
Some even say that to win this talent search is to bear a curse that will see your career amount to nothing.
”I believe success isn't always in being seen on TV or in newspaper articles but true success for me is changing the lives of those around me and those whom God has predestined for me and that might not always be documented or captured by newspapers. Still, in that regard, I believe I can be successful.”
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These are the words of season 19 winner of Idols SA Thabo Ndlovu has released a new single with plans for a project to follow in the not-so-distant future.
The 27-year-old claims to have been making the most of life since being crowned the winner of the final season of Idols SA.
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“Life has been nothing short of a blessing after winning. God has been good and the support from family friends and my newly found family from CSR Records and Stamp Communications has been nothing short of incredible,” he says with an air of immense gratitude.
“Winning has helped my career I'm able to reach a much broader and vast audience since idols,” the crooner adds.
Music has always been a part of him, “sometimes think when I was born, I cried on key,” he chuckles.
His speech is filled with spiritual references which clearly map out what kind of music we can come to expect from Thabo.
“I'm a very passionate singer who sings from the heart I think one thing that Idols made me discover and love about my craft is my versatility so for now I think afro soul afro pop and definitely Gospel.”
His biggest influences in the industry are Kim Burrell, Afrotraction, Darrell Walls and Kelly Khumalo and his latest single shows just how much he gleans from these acts he looks to emulate.
“My latest single Ngifuna wena is more on the Zulu, African side but with an infusion of Afro-pop which was very interesting but fun to create. I also believe that my day-to-day life and my current situation at that specific moment in time inspire my composition style,” he explains.
His artistry is blossoming, but he has also used his time wisely and sharpened his business acumen by familiarising himself with that part of the industry.
“The funny thing is I've been drawn more and more to the business aspect of things, how the deals are made how to quote and just the fundamentals I can put to use later in my life. What I would prefer to do without is the back-and-forth negotiations and a shout-out to Carrol who handles the nitty gritty because it’s a lot,” he says with a hearty laugh.
The future brings with it the prospect of more music from Thabo, and he also offers his fans a portal into his daily life on his YouTube channel. Keep an eye out for more from Thabo as the weeks and months roll by.
