Bhek’zizwe unveils highly anticipated debut album “African Stories”

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Sizwe Mdluli is a rising star in the realm of folk music, unveils his highly anticipated debut masterpiece contemporary album “African Stories.”

The eight-track album which is in indigenous languages and English consists of tracks such as Empini and Nthabiseng, it touches a bit on politics, love, God and other topics.

However, he doesn’t have words to describe his music, as it has an element of African drums.

Born and bred in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, Mdluli who is affectionately known as Bhek’zizwe on stage, enchants audiences with his raw emotion, lyrical depth, and velvety vocals that seamlessly dance over intricate melodies and compelling rhythms.

“I touched a bit on status quo of this country but I don’t want to sound as if I am complaining. I was just highlighting certain aspects.”

Showcasing his exceptional talent and dedication to his craft with each track, he took his listeners on a journey through his life experiences, weaving a narrative that is both personal and relatable.

His second track titled, “Nthabiseng,” is a captivating blend of love song and pop, offering a glimpse into his soul as he bares his vulnerabilities with honesty and candor.

Nthabiseng is the mother to his daughter but Mdluli claims the song is not about her. He said: “The song just came naturally. Surprisingly, she saw the song even before I wrote it. She is a seer, she saw it.

WATCH | Sizwe “Bhek’zizwe” Mdluli feeling energetic following his performance at the Carnival City.

Drawing inspiration from the legends Busi Mhlongo, Lucky Dube and Oliver Mtukudzi while infusing his own contemporary flair, delivers a listening experience that is both familiar and refreshingly innovative.

Performing in an array national stages with artists such as Vusi Nova, The Soil, Mdluli has opened a room to collaborate with other artists.

Asked how he started his music career, he said “I was watching Chicco, Gypsies and other artists performing in front of me here at the casino. By watching them play caught my eyes and I fell in love with a guitar.”

This inspired him to buy an acoustic guitar and started practising. Before he became a musician, Mdluli was working at Carnival City as a sound engineer, doing sound checks.

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“As we worked long hours, I would practice a guitar in corridors or basement. Today, I am so pleased to perform in the same area. It is a transition from building and setting up a stage to performing on it.

“I spent years working my way up to become a senior sound engineer and venue manager, and doing soundchecks for other people, and then suddenly you’re the one facing 3 500 audience,” he explained.

He added by saying while he was still learning to play the guitar, in some occasion he would just perform solo in front of the mirror to build his confidence nor hone his skills.

In 2017 they formed a band which consists of a drummer, bass guitarist, keyboardist, lead guitarist, backing vocalist, while Mdluli plays the acoustic guitar.