Tshikomba's music keeps fans on their feet

The first thing that local artist Ndifelani Nevhutalu, affectionately known as Tshikomba, keeps in mind when making music is to cater for all her fans.

The 25-year-old manyalo artist, who resides at Manamani, believes her time to shine is now and she wants to make an impact on the industry. She told Limpopo Mirror that she started singing at a young age. "I grew up with a love of singing, but I was shy to show to people that I had a talent for singing," she said. She attended Muthamaro Secondary School.

"I then started singing at Zion Christian Church, and from there I never looked back, because I was confident enough to showcase my talent in front of people."

When asked why she was performing manyalo music, she said: "I love this type of music, because I enjoy dancing. I realized that it is the only type of music in which I can showcase my talent. Being good at malende dancing while still young encouraged me to follow manyalo music. This type of music heals broken hearts and entertains people at weddings and birthday celebrations."

She indicated that when she was growing up, she used to imitate other people's dances. "I watched manyalo music videos a lot in order to learn more about this type of music. In 2011, I started attending music festivals just to get first-hand experience on how manyalo artists dance, and they inspired me a lot," she said.

She thanked DJ Coolman for grooming and motivating her when the future looked dark. "I thought that I would never achieve my dream of being a musician until he recognised my talent. He told me that he could make my dreams come true, so I gave him a chance. I am where I am today because of him," she said.

So far, she has produced six albums: Zwililo Zwanga, Muvhulayi Wanga, Vhusiwana, Na Chachula, Tshililo Tshanga, and Ndiluvha Musanda. "I will release my seventh album, Matakadza Mbiluni, in October," she said.

She advised upcoming artists to be committed and dedicated. "If you want to achieve your dreams, you must be patient when things aren't looking good. You should also be aware of greedy managers and have a good relationship with other artists," she said.

For bookings she can be reached on 071 317 4336. 

Entertainment - Date: 29 July 2019

Mbulaheni Ridovhona

The 22-year-old Mbulaheni (Gary) Ridovhona has been passionate about journalism to the extent that he would buy himself a copy of weekly Univen students' newsletter, Our Voice. After reading, he would write stories about his rural village, Mamvuka, and submit them to the very newsletter for publication. His deep-rooted love for words and writing saw him register for a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies at the University of Venda, and joined the Limpopo Mirror team in February 2016 as a journalism intern.

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