Mthandeni Manqele
Mthandeni Manqele, an esteemed maskandi music artist, has expressed his excitement about the Rainbow Nation Fest set to take place on December 16 at The Bears Palace in Mpumalanga.
Manqele joins a star-studded line-up of musicians who will celebrate the Day of Reconciliation through the love of music.
In conversation with “The Star”, Manqele said his fans should expect nothing short of a memorable experience at the much-anticipated festival, which will bring together performers from all walks of life.
“People should expect to have a good time. I’ll be singing a list of their favourite songs. The day will be exciting, from my attire to my performance on stage. We will sing and dance together,” he said.
An all-star line-up that includes, among others, DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small (Scorpion Kings), Kurt Darren, Master KG, Ricus Nel, Zola 7, Samantha Leonard, Lwah Ndlunkulu, Dozi, DJ Zinhle, and Mac G will play live music at the first-ever Rainbow Nation Fest.
T-bo Touch of Metro FM, Thandy Mamakhe of Ikwekwezi FM, and Buhle S of Ligwalagwala FM will oversee the event programme.
Mthandeni, famed for songs such as “Paris”, “Amageja” and “Malavisto”, credits God for guiding him through the demands of being an entertainer.
He also shared advice with artists who aspire to be in the music industry as well noting the importance of taking guidance from parents.
“The way you were raised by your parents is important. You also have the responsibility to take that and pass it on to your children too. This is something that has made me strong as an artist. The most important thing is that the youth know what they want to become in the future. They must respect and take wisdom from their parents, who raised them well. They must also not forget about God. Nowadays, God isn’t in most people’s lifestyles. We need to put him first in everything that we do,” said the artist.
When asked what motivates him to keep creating music, he replied that nothing is more motivating than following one’s calling, as it has strengthened him in spite of the setbacks he has experienced.
Speaking about the upcoming year, he said he looked forward to working with more upcoming artists doing more music that people will gravitate towards.
All musicians from all genres will serenade the public with their popular musical songs, attired according to the “colourful” dress code, in keeping with the theme of The Rainbow Nation.
The Star
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za