25 years and beyond: Sbu Malawyer releases a new single
With a 25-year-plus career in the music industry and an album titled ‘Celebrating 25 Years In The Game’ marking the occasion, Sbu Malawyer
releases a new single ‘Ngempela’. ‘Ngempela’ is an Amapiano song with a touch of various uniquely South African sounds including House.
The music industry has dramatically changed since Kwaito’s dominance in the 1990s and early 2000s. Given these changes especially with viral sensations, how does an artist who had a thriving career in those decades make a living, what kind of music should they be releasing?
“It is important as an artist to evolve with time, to keep the brand relevant. In my 25 years in the industry, I’ve learned the music business from productions, writing, image conduct, and the importance of discipline. To be in the game for this long made me understand that it does not matter how difficult things are, keep your head up without doubting yourself,” Sbu Malawyer.
Sbu Malawyer, part of the TKZee family since inception, is associated with Kwaito mostly by millennials, the sound that birthed his illustrious career. Kwaito allowed Sbu Malawyer to express himself in a way that was unique and true to his artistry at the time. Today, with ‘Ngempela’ it has not changed. On ‘Ngempela’ – a tribute to our fallen heroes and heroines in the music industry, Sbu Malawyer continues with this form of expression, however, in a much more spiritual manner that not only transports one to a different universe musically but speaks to his growth as a musician. Sbu Malawyer’s delivery on the single alongside Mr Abie, Winz X and Woza Sabza is amazing.
“Amapiano uses a lock drum and Kwaito uses a normal drum, but the tempo and the lyrics sound the same. I always describe Amapiano as an evolution of Kwaito,” he continues.