Jabu Hlongwane brings new dimension to latest album
Joyous Celebration co-founder Jabu Hlongwane is singing a new tune in his latest album, Crosspower Experience 3.
The singer, songwriter and producer has released a number of albums as a solo act and in 2016 he released his book, Finding Meaning In the Journey of Life.
At the time Hlongwane said he had always wanted to be a writer, but his dream was shattered when he shared his work “with the wrong person”.
Now, two years later, the singer is back to releasing music as a solo artist.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday about the album, Hlongwane said it was influenced by various music genres that he listens to, including R&B, afro pop, hip hop, jazz and classical.
“I have two projects as a solo artist – there are Jabu Hlongwane albums, and there are Crosspower Experiences, which are recorded live. Unlike the normal Jabu Hlongwane albums, the Crosspower Experiences are a reflection of what’s happening in the space of music,” he said.
Some of his albums include Fakaza, Ngegazi Elingenacala, Vuma Moya Wam, Khayalami, Keep Me True, Iyeza, Umbusozayo and Crosspower Experience 1 and 2.
“I regard this album as gospel because of the content, but as for the sound, it is diverse.
“The first track, titled uMoya ka Jehovah, is influenced by afro soul/pop sounds and someone was saying it reminds them of Oliver Mtukudzi.
“The entire album was driven by melodies and sounds,” he said, adding that the album was a reflection of the African in him.
The multi-award winning Joyous Celebration recently released Joyous 22: All For You but Hlongwane said he always finds time to work on his solo projects.
“I always do everything at the same time. I will be doing an interview about Joyous and I also talk about my album as well.
“Last Sunday we did a Joyous show and now we will do another one in three weeks and I will use that time to promote my album,” he said, adding he believed people made time for the things that mattered to them.
“We need to be intentional about how we spend our time,” he said.