Vaal based singer Melleng has been nominated for BEST R&B/SOUL ALBUM at the South African Music Awards for the year 2022. #SAMA28
The South African Music Awards is a premier music showcase hosted by RiSA. This annual event honours the country’s finest music talent over two days in key categories, as they battle for the South African industry’s highest honour – a statuette at the South African Music Awards.
PYRAMID Magazine caught up with the nominated Melleng, and had a sit down about the Lady behind the Music.
Firstly congratulations on your SAMA nomination for Best R&B/Soul Album. Your Album is titled The Arrival, can you tell us about the journey of completing this beautiful piece of art.
I had just left a toxic relationship on the 18th of June 2020 and I went straight to the studio. Meeting Kwaito Captain for the first time we worked on a song together and it was a hit. We then decided to make it a full on project. Nobody knew what I was going through, it was my secret. I was broken, broke and all I had was a dream that me and my toxic partner never fulfilled, however, I still wanted it. We recorded for four weeks because I had so much to write about, and sometimes I didn’t have money to buy food at the studio or let alone transport myself there. It was a learning curve for me though and a healing phase of some sort, because for the first time I was doing something for myself.
Who did you work with on this Album?
I worked with my amazing producer Kwaito Captain, and to show how limited resources were, we only had one feature with Slim Swurve.
Morena “Rustic Ras” Maile did the engineering of the album. I hooked up a photoshoot with Neo “Black God” Nkoko, and then designed the Album Cover myself.
The album is published under Sheer Publishing.
Are you currently signed under a Label or are independent?
I wanted to get signed like any musician. I was first approached by Ghetto Ruff/Muthaland Entertainment, and I stayed there for a month or so but my intuition was against getting signed at the time. However, when I started recording The Arrival, I got so addicted to making my creative decisions I decided to go independent.
How do people get hold of the album, and where can they buy it?
The album is currently distributed digitally by CD baby. It can be accessed by following the below link:
To those who are dying to know, can tell them who is Melleng? Where do you come from?
Melleng is a writer, singer, actor and presenter from the Vaal. She’s been in the industry for over 10 years, hosting shows like Craz-e and hashtag7. Acting on almost all local soapies in featured roles. She’s passionate about music and now a SAMA nominee
The SAMA nomination stamps a statement that you’re bringing something worthy of note to the table and the Music Industry, what makes you outstanding from the rest that you should win this Music Award?
More than anything it proves that I am a hybrid of note. Lol, I had to interchange between being an artist to a producer for my music video, to a PR specialist to get it out there and to be a creative director on most of my photoshoots. I literally had to be jack of all trades due to the limitation of resources. I hope that’s a different case now, because my, an album is work.
To Promoters who want to book you for live performances at their events, how do they get hold you?
They can forward an email to melleng16@gmail.com or slide into my DMs on social I shall help. Twitter and Instagram – @mellengza or Facebook – Itumeleng Mashiloane
https://www.facebook.com/MellengSA/
https://twitter.com/Mellengza?t=MtUlRSJXH9GFS20CqpNIgA&s=09
To people who want to follow you and your music, what are your Social Handles?
Twitter, Insta & tiktok- @mellengza
LinkedIn – Melleng Mash
Facebook – Itumeleng Mashiloane
