The star of Sir McKleker shines even brighter

For many music lovers and music promoters alike, Sir McKleker needs no introduction, since he has created a brand to be reckoned with as a multi-faceted entertainer and producer of high note, an engineer, a singer, a dancer, a drummer and a songwriter.

A decade ago, as a full-fledged soundmaker and singer, Sir McKleker left Gauteng with its assurance of glamour and glitz and came back home to Vhembe District with the idea of developing local talent and further establishing himself here at home.

He became well known for the anthemic Tapanyedza, and two megahits that he produced for former Phalaphala FM soapie actor Tshibulebule, aka Phathutshedzo Muthambi. The songs are Rithelela and Nthengeleni. Tshibulebule went on to dominate the Tshivenda Music Awards in 2014 when they won the Best Tshivenda Song of the Year and Best Tshivenda Group of the Year.

Since 2014, he has won more music awards and established himself as a household name and entertainer who keeps fans and music lovers spellbound as performs his antics on stage.

“I just released a single last week (28 February), entitled Matamela, and on it I am featuring Thili,” he said. “Thili is a young girl I met on the streets of Sibasa. She was singing as she walked. I heard her angelic voice around and I realised it was her singing. The rest is history, as they would say.”

In Sir McKleker's words, Matamela is a village girl whose heart has been broken by unfaithful boys. “I fused in some Zulu words like chola, meaning ‘forgive’, but somehow my fans always have our president in mind before they know about the inspiration of the song,” he said. “We will be releasing the music video in mid-March.”

He has just finished recording another music video that he has done with a Congolese artist, Bouba Folkloric, who is a very close friend of his. “Bouba has been a friend of mine ever since from the good old days when I was in Joburg studying music. We even did a song, Samedi, which means ‘Saturday’. The song is wake-up call to Africans to stop corruption as it ruins the future of our continent. The song's video was also released yesterday.”

Sir McKleker is the main man behind Makhadzi's multi-awarded hit Tshanda vhuya.

Just last year he won the Tshivenda Music Award for best single with his song Gindla Gindla (lavenda). “I also produced the single Mangongori by Mercy Masakona, which was also nominated for the Tshivenda Music Awards 2018.”

Sir McKleker was born Aluwani Nemaranzhe at Phiphidi near Thohoyandou. His first full-length album, Sophisticated house, came out in 2012. He is busy arranging and organising his annual birthday bash, which will take place in either the last week of May or the first week of June.

“I'm also helping the youth of Makwarela to record singles to take their music careers off the ground to higher heights,” he said. “It's always hard for young fellows to afford studio time. I love working with underground artists, so that I can help them with mentorship from my experience.”

Entertainment - Date: 03 March 2019

Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.

Email: [email protected]