Q
Could you tell us a bit about Lolly
A
As salaam aluikum Africa, Lolly Mhlongo is a pan African artist and human rights activist from Pondoland in a small town called Bizana. She has been singing from the age of five performing in schools and weddings where she developed the name as a young Toni Braxton amongst her fan base. She trained in her teenage years in classical music performing in provincial competitions nationwide. Long story short, In 2013 she underwent a spiritual initiation known as ukuthwasa (coming of age) which helped redefine her sound and rediscovered her indigenous african voice alhamdulillah.
Q
What’s your take on the South African music scene and how is it different from the one in West/East Afrika?
A
The South African music scene is at an interesting place as you see a lot of the youngsters coming out with new genres of expressing themselves. It’s a pity they do this through the eyes of American culture though. So the idea of rediscovery of self and identity is lost in translation because the music scene is determined by social media and television, whereas in Africa music is still used to as a tool to reflect the state of the nation. On the other hand a liberal could argue that SA is still young and on the transition of finding themselves. Hence in Africa music is still created using traditional African instruments and compositions from back then when knowledge was passed down orally, an era I would like to define as stone age.
Q
What role do you think music plays in contemporary South Africa?
A
Music determines the state of society as much as it’s the reflection of society. One could say it’s a mirror image of society. During apartheid in South Africa music was the beacon of hope as well as a cry for help by the colonized black society whereas post apocalypse music reflects a new society that’s trying to find itself after a long drought.
Q
Tell Us about your music and up and coming projects?
A
Currently I am in the city Johannesburg on my album launch tour where I’m officially releasing my first long awaited album titled ISIQGI_BO inshallah. A body of work I’ve been working on for the past seven years. In June I have a show Kwa Mai Mai which I will be collaborating with Luyolo Langa, a fellow indigenous African artist from the Eastern Cape. May 25th I will be dropping my single on national radio and all digital platforms titled Urhenqe.
