Women before her have inspired her not to give up on her dreams and today every sacrifice she has made since the beginning of her career is paying off.
As a young girl, she watched artists like the late Brenda Fassie, Mercy Phakela, Mshoza, and Purity just name a few make it big in the industry while they remained true to who they were.
Kwaito artist Nkiyase Mbatha first came into the music scene as part of an all-female group called PETIT in the year 2000. She later launched her solo career when she was signed under Dr Mbongeni Ngema’s label and has collaborations with artists such as the legendary Trompies, Mapaputsi, and Joe Nina.
“I released my first album in 2003, I then ventured out to Afro-Jazz in 2011 which was me just showcasing my voice. In 2012 I realised that people enjoyed watching me perform, I then went back to making kwaito music.”
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The Lebota hitmaker was nominated in the Best Kwaito Album category at the SAMAs, for her album titled I Am Who I Am. One of her producers was Joe Nina who has been very instrumental in her career, she says.
And even though she did not win, she tells Drum that it makes her feel great to see that a woman was nominated in that category.
"Unfortunately, I didn’t win but, I am still very honoured that the SAMAs nominated me amongst all the other artists who are currently making kwaito music. The fact that it was won by two people who we say do the amapiano genre Kabza da Small and Kwesta, shows that the kwaito footprint is not going anywhere, anytime soon.
“The kwaito genre is in capable hands, and they will take it far and that is one thing I am happy about. The music continues, and I am releasing another album next year."
However, she is not entirely happy with how the awards are run.
“I really wish that people could take the SAMAs seriously because they are like our Grammys and most of us as artists, we do look forward to attending the award show. But as the years go, (we see) the SAMAs are deteriorating. I don’t know if it is the team, or if they are not getting the right people on board. Next year, they are celebrating 30 years, I wish the standard could show that they have been there for years and what has been celebrated since they started.”
She says that while working on the album some people said the genre is dead, but her focus was to bring back the authenticity of the sound and take music lovers back to when they used to buy CDs that had more than 10 tracks.
“I came from an era where albums showcase your talents, capabilities, and if you can make good music. I started working on my album in 2021 during COVID-19 when there were so many uncertainties. I hold it dear to my heart because of its content and that is why I released it last year on my birthday to appreciate myself for not giving up and staying motivated even with the hardships in the music business. Recording it was amazing and now I get to see it grow and people warm up to it, and the plan is to let it simmer and grow in people’s life.
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“Kwaito to me is like breathing, when the genre perishes that will be the end of my life. Kwaito is a South African genre that needs to be kept alive just like how Americans are so proud of their hip-hop. I take pride in being a kwaito artist because the youth of 1994 found their identity and voice through kwaito music.”
