EMILY HARRISON
Podcasts are fast becoming one of the best platforms for people to express themselves, including celebrities who are more authentic through this medium than any other. South African music website, Texx and The City, just launched their new podcast “Texx Talks”, that does just that, it gets local musicians to be authentic through comfortable and conversational talks. The podcast is hosted by Texx and The City editor, Tecla Ciolfi, and features South African musicians in each of the weekly episodes.
The first episode dropped on 9 April and featured the South African national treasure, Zolani Mahola. Listeners may be most familiar with Zolani as the lead singer of Freshlyground, or from the new solo show The One Who Sings. The podcast episode takes listeners behind the scenes of Zolani’s 17- year long career in the entertainment industry. The conversation looks at the incredible parts of her career from the iconic Freshlyground track, “Doo Be Doo”, to singing the 2010 World Cup theme song “Waka Waka” with Shakira. The artist also talks about the dark times that lay behind some of the high-points of her years in the industry.
“Podcasts are fast becoming one of the best platforms for people to express themselves…“
Ciolfi and Zolani also chatted about Zolani’s autobiographical solo show The One Who Sings and the roots behind the play which led her to ‘own her own story’. The episode offers an authentic view of the musician’s life and her career. Ciolfi asked all the right questions that led Zolani into being extremely honest. The episode is a good sign of what is to come in future conversations with local talent. It ended off with a new track from Zolani, a perfect ending to the conversation.
The podcast could benefit from longer episodes so that a deeper dive into the musician’s lives and careers can be achieved. The podcast could also benefit from playing snippets of the songs the conversation features, to create a better experience. If the first episode is anything to go by, then “Texx Talks” promises to be an incredible podcast that offers fans insight into the lives of their favourite local artists. As the South African podcast industry grows, it becomes important for South Africans to show their support to our local artists, especially ones that foster local talent. Listeners can look forward to talks with The Kiffness, Alice Phoebe Lou, BCUC, TRESOR, and Ryan Murgatroyd. Anyone who wants to get to know local musicians better will enjoy and appreciate this series.
Image: texxandthecity.com
