Mzansi musicians come to the party

“WHEN opportunity comes knocking, you’d better be ready to work hard and be creative about overcoming obstacles.”

That’s what musical group Southern Six from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) discovered soon after their first performance last week during the second season of the Old Mutual Amazing Voices competition.

Southern Six’s story began last November when two friends, Thando Nombewu and Mihlali Tyatya, saw the Amazing Voices competition announcement for online audition entries. Together they selected and invited four of their most musically talented friends to join them and enter as a group.

They were overjoyed to be invited to the closed audition, but immediately faced a hurdle. The auditions were in Joburg.

Determined not to let it block their path to success, the six friends posted their best videos, as well as their predicament, on Facebook and successfully crowd-sourced the cost of their return flights to the closed audition venue.

Southern Six’s resilience, tenacity and positive approach paid off and they managed to impress Amazing Voices selectors Buhle Mda and Morena Sefatsa. They were given the nod to be one of two groups to represent South Africa in the top 10.

Group Leader Lisa Yengeni said: “When we received a call informing us that we were shortlisted and that we had to travel to Joburg for the audition, the first emotion was frustration because none of us were financially prepared for a trip out of the city.

“We did, however, have a spiritual hunch that it would be the beginning of beautiful things, an opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to show Africa what we had to offer. There was no way we were missing out on this opportunity.

“We created a Facebook page, loaded our audition video, and asked our friends on social media for financial assistance to go to an audition in Joburg. This experience proved to us that there was absolutely nothing we could’t achieve through Christ, our helper and provider.

The second season of the Old Mutual Amazing Voices competition spotlights not only Africa’s great musical talent, but also the continent’s tenacity and resourcefulness. Not even a global pandemic has been able to stop Africa’s amazing voices from being heard.

Season 2 of Old Mutual Amazing Voices singing competition is now on TV screens across Africa from a fortnight ago.

Since the launch of Season 2 last year, when 546 entries flooded in for the audition phase in which the top 10 a cappella groups from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa will be selected to experience the gruelling judging process as they display their passion and determination, competing for the whopping $100 000 grand prize.

Another inspirational South African group exemplifying talent and tenacity is Hush Male Group. Most of this six-man group from Joburg were schoolfriends, united by their passion for music and faith.

Group leader Tsholofelo Ntuli said a group was like a relationship: a strong foundation based on understanding each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

“We’ve also learnt that humility is an important attribute of growth, both in singing and personal interaction,” he said.

“In every decision, we agree on making sure any new member brings in a fresh flavour.”