BY SHARON SIBINDI
Hard work and perseverance are paying off for Zimbabwe-born artiste Xolani Ndlovu, aka X-Mile (pictured right), who is making waves in the South African arts industry.
X-Mile is a jack of all trades — an Afro-pop artiste, songwriter and composer. Last week he told Standard Style that he was making a name for himself with a growing number of fans falling head over heels for his music.
“South Africans and my fellow countrymen here have received me with abundant love. I can’t even measure the amount of love and appreciation that they’ve shown me,” X-Mile said.
“Even though they think I’m South African, I always tell them that I am from Zimbabwe and I sing in isiNdebele, not isiZulu. I feel like I am moving in the right direction.
“I feel the appreciation from people wherever I go. For me, a good achievement is when people are happy whenever I perform. It’s not about performing in a full stadium and leaving no impact, it’s about singing for the few and changing their lives positively.”
He said he had managed to keep his career in the right direction by paying attention to it.
“I keep things going well in a simple way, I focus on what my calling is, not competition, not who sings better than who. I only do what I believe I was called to do. I have been in the music industry for a while now,” he said.
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“I have been enjoying what I do and performing a lot in different countries and cities, especially around the Sadc region. The industry has had its own ups and downs, good and bad times as well. I have also collaborated with a lot of artistes from Zimbabwe and outside the country in recording and in performances.”
X-Mile said breaking through the South Africa market was not easy, especially for a foreigner.
“Well, when I first came, I wanted to study and learn how the arts industry works in South Africa, to see if there were any differences with the industry at home. What I found really challenging was trying to build a name for myself in a foreign land and in an already flooded industry,” he said.
