LUNGISANI 'Sanii' Makhalima, the youngster who dropped from the blues, mesmerised music fans with the hits Usadaro and Vulela and went mysteriously quiet afterwards is back
to make a statement: he is no flash-in-the-pan.
The South African-based artiste has just released his second album - Ndofefeterwa - that he says is better than Usadaro and joins his Australian-based compatriot, Audius Mtawarira, in striking an international recording when EMI South Africa releases the South African edition of the album in March.
"I had been quiet for a while until I felt it was the right time to make a return, a meaningful return that is, with something that has a long shelf life," Makhalima told StandardPlus last week.
"I think people should give artistes time to create so that the artistes don't feel pressured and produce shoddy stuff while trying to please them. In my case, some people were even saying I was a one-hit wonder, but I did not let the criticism dishearten me."
After Usadaro, Makhalima did Pasina Iwe, a duet with Plaxedes Wenyika and did the lead vocals on the Go Warriors song to support the senior national soccer team that made it to the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Tunisia.
Ndadzoka, a track off the album, is enjoying popularity on local radio charts, holding its own against the music of other young artistes who invaded the stage while Makhalima was taking a break from music to pursue studies at the University of Cape Town.
Other potential hits are Okwami Ngokwako, a Zulu love ballad, Murumbidze (a gospel track), Hakuna Mumwe, the wedding song Singehlukani, New Life featuring Teererai Mugwadi and the title track that Makhalima co-wrote with his brother Delani and Rocqui Josphats.
Okwami Ngokwako is the title track of the South African edition of the album to be released by EMI Records in collaboration with Outrageous and Galaxy Records.
"It's not easy balancing studies and music," said Makhalima who has switched from digital music and now plays with a live band - and is now married.
His first performance with a live band was at the African Banking Corporation Summertime Jazz Festival where Flash Gordon Mutekedza, Jimmy of Anotha Trybe and members of the jazz outfit Too Open backed him.
"When we started there were lots of problems such as lack of capital, that's why most of us young artists could not afford to have live bands," Makhalima said, explaining why he started as a lip-sync artist.
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