A decision to break away from a major record label and saving up over the last seven years has finally paid off for a young Eastern Cape jazz musician.
Nombulelo Maqetuka independently released her second album, Intsikelelo Zam, last month and while she has enjoyed major airplay in Johannesburg, the road has not been easy.
The 33-year-old singer left Sony Music in 2007 after they released her debut album, Essence of Love, in 2006.
“After my first album was released, I didn’t stay long with Sony Music because I felt like they were not doing enough for me,” she said.
Maqetuka said at the time, the label had a lot of artists signed. “If a record label does not believe in the product, they will not push it as much as they would do to one they believe in. I don’t think they gave my project sufficient resources.”
Sony Music marketing manager Maria Hadjidimitriadis said the team that worked on Maqetuka’s album was no longer with the company.
“I cannot comment on an artist that was signed to a merged company, that was almost 10 years ago.
“How marketing was done then is different to how artists are being marketed today,” she said.
Another Eastern Cape artist who publicly expressed his frustrations with Sony Music is Ifani. Last year, the Port Elizabeth rapper tweeted that he wanted to leave Sony Music. This came after he alleged that they did not believe in his music. However, the award-winning rapper is still with the label.
After cutting ties with Sony, Maqetuka started saving to finance her latest project.
“It has taken a long time to put together this album because studio time is expensive, especially for an independent artist but I am glad everything has worked out.” The King William’s Town artist started singing at the age of 18 and has shared the stage with music stars such as Sibongile Khumalo, Sipho Mabuse and Judith Sephuma. In 2001 she was named the winner of the Standard Bank Young Artists of the year for jazz.
She said her latest album was a blessing to her. “The difference between this album and the previous one is that I feel I’ve grown to understand myself as a singer more. My confidence is on an all-time high unlike my first time around,” she said.
Maqetuka said the album has been produced by renowned jazz guitarist Kunle Ayo and Luyanda Madope. She said she was hoping to bring her promotional tour to the Eastern Cape next month. — poliswap@dispatch.co.za
Maqetuka has the last laugh
Nombulelo Maqetuka independently released her second album, Intsikelelo Zam, last month and while she has enjoyed major airplay in Johannesburg, the road has not been easy.
The 33-year-old singer left Sony Music in 2007 after they released her debut album, Essence of Love, in 2006.
“After my first album was released, I didn’t stay long with Sony Music because I felt like they were not doing enough for me,” she said.
Maqetuka said at the time, the label had a lot of artists signed. “If a record label does not believe in the product, they will not push it as much as they would do to one they believe in. I don’t think they gave my project sufficient resources.”
Sony Music marketing manager Maria Hadjidimitriadis said the team that worked on Maqetuka’s album was no longer with the company.
“I cannot comment on an artist that was signed to a merged company, that was almost 10 years ago.
“How marketing was done then is different to how artists are being marketed today,” she said.
Another Eastern Cape artist who publicly expressed his frustrations with Sony Music is Ifani. Last year, the Port Elizabeth rapper tweeted that he wanted to leave Sony Music. This came after he alleged that they did not believe in his music. However, the award-winning rapper is still with the label.
After cutting ties with Sony, Maqetuka started saving to finance her latest project.
“It has taken a long time to put together this album because studio time is expensive, especially for an independent artist but I am glad everything has worked out.” The King William’s Town artist started singing at the age of 18 and has shared the stage with music stars such as Sibongile Khumalo, Sipho Mabuse and Judith Sephuma. In 2001 she was named the winner of the Standard Bank Young Artists of the year for jazz.
She said her latest album was a blessing to her. “The difference between this album and the previous one is that I feel I’ve grown to understand myself as a singer more. My confidence is on an all-time high unlike my first time around,” she said.
Maqetuka said the album has been produced by renowned jazz guitarist Kunle Ayo and Luyanda Madope. She said she was hoping to bring her promotional tour to the Eastern Cape next month. — poliswap@dispatch.co.za
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