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The maestro of Tshivenda traditional music, Sikheli Junior, has just released a new album, A Thinga Fhumuli.
When loosely translated, A Thinga Fhumuli means I will never keep quiet. The album comprises 12 tracks. Some standout tracks include Kurambo, Khombo a i seiwi, Vho Nyaphophi, Pfumo, Vhutsila hanga and Tshililo.
Sikheli, who hails from Tshifudi village, is not new to the music industry. He has previously released the albums Ladzani Shango, Nwali O Sinyuwa and Muthu Ndi Muya.
“I had a love for music at an early age,” he said. “My brother, Milton Nengudza started a village choir in 1997 and I became part of the choir as a tenor backer. He saw talent in me and started to focus on grooming me and honing my voice.”
He maintains that A Thinga Fhumuli falls within the Afro-traditional genre. Sikheli attended Mamathieledzha Primary School, Mangondi Primary School and Gole Secondary School.
In the years between 1999 and 2003, he joined Maniiini Jumbo Choir when they recorded an album. “I was always highly sought after as an adviser and lead vocalist in choirs in the neighbouring villages,” he said.
His music career changed dramatically when he met reggae artist Takzit, who urged him to go to the studio and record an album. Takzit even introduced Sikheli to the best producers, and then followed the birth of his début album, Ladzani Shango. “Ladzani Shango won a best Venda album prize at the South African Traditional Music Awards in 2013,” he said.
Sikheli has such a thrilling voice and the skill of his guitar playing creates a unique sound. He said what he liked most about music was that all his songs carried powerful messages that his fans could easily relate to.
This new album was record at JF Superior Star and was produced by Robert T. Sikheli is available on Facebook and can be reached on 079 486 3179.
Sikheli Junior. Photo supplied
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Sikheli Junior. Photo supplied
By: 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.
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