Mzwa Youth Day Profile
June 2024 MPASA Member Feature
In celebration of Youth Day and month, we present a special edition of our MPASA Member Feature! In this edition, we interview Mzwandile Sibanda, Head of Music Publishing for Africa Creative Publishing, who offers us valuable insights for empowering the next generation of music creators. Here are his thoughts:
What does Youth Day mean to you personally and do you think it’s still important for young people in SA to celebrate this day?
Youth Day in South Africa holds significant personal meaning to me because it commemorates the bravery and sacrifice of young people who stood up against injustice during the Soweto Uprising in 1976. It symbolizes resilience, courage, and the fight for justice and equality.
I believe it remains incredibly important for young people in South Africa to celebrate Youth Day. It serves as a reminder of the power of youth in driving positive change, as well as highlighting ongoing challenges young people face in accessing education, opportunities, and social equality. By commemorating Youth Day, it honors the past struggles while energizing and mobilizing youth to continue advocating for a better future. It’s not just a historical event but a call to action for young people to be active participants in shaping their society.
As a music industry executive, I believe it is also important for the country to celebrate the achievements of the youth both in the past and present. The Youth have been at the forefront of pushing boundaries within culture and creating new music styles and genres, from Kwaito all the way through to Amapiano. We must be proud of the global spotlight, a youth led and proudly South African Genres like Amapiano have shone on the country and the achievement and milestones it has already achieved.
In your opinion what are the key challenges and opportunities for the young aspiring creatives?
For young aspiring creatives in South Africa, there are several key challenges and opportunities, and have listed both a few challenges and opportunities below:
Challenges
- Access to Resources: Many young creatives face barriers in accessing necessary resources such as funding, equipment, and spaces to create and showcase their work.
- Education and Skills Development: There can be gaps in formal education that fail to adequately prepare young creatives with the skills needed for their chosen fields, whether it’s art, design, music, or filmmaking.
- Recognition and Support: Often, there is a lack of recognition and support for emerging creatives, making it difficult for them to establish themselves professionally and gain visibility.
- Infrastructure and Networking: Limited infrastructure and networking opportunities can hinder collaboration and growth within creative industries.
- Financial Sustainability: It can be challenging for young creatives to sustain themselves financially while pursuing their artistic endeavors, leading to a reliance on side jobs or freelance work.
- Global travel and logistics: When young creatives have the opportunity to travel outside of the continent, have issues with obtaining travel visas and appropriate funding to make those necessary trips to grow their craft. We need to be able to fast track visas processing for creatives or establishing some sort of travel document that allows creatives to travel with more ease outside of Africa.
Opportunities
- Digital Platforms: The rise of digital platforms and social media provides young creatives with unprecedented opportunities to showcase their work globally and connect with audiences and collaborators.
- Creative Entrepreneurship: There is a growing culture of entrepreneurship in creative industries, where young creatives can develop their own businesses or startups based on their artistic skills and visions.
- Cultural Diversity: South Africa’s rich cultural diversity offers a wealth of inspiration and unique perspectives that young creatives can draw upon in their work, contributing to a vibrant creative landscape.
- International Exposure: Opportunities for international collaborations, residencies, and exchanges can help young creatives gain exposure, broaden their perspectives, and build global networks.
- Advocacy and Activism: Art and creativity have historically played a significant role in social change and activism. Young creatives can use their platforms to advocate for social issues and drive positive change in their communities and beyond.
Navigating these challenges and seizing these opportunities requires resilience, creativity, and a supportive ecosystem that values and nurtures young talent. As South Africa continues to evolve culturally and economically, there is tremendous potential for young creatives to make a significant impact both locally and globally.
Who are your top local music acts in South Africa currently and what sets them apart from the rest?
Maglera Doe Boy: “hottest” rapper in the country, who is currently a crazy feature run. He has one of the most striking and unique voices in hip-hop, coupled with his authentic storytelling and his lyrical prowess. He is uniquely South African, always infusing local languages, slang and references within music, while still being able to give us social commentary. He is primed to make an impact globally and fly the flag high.
Manana: Your favorite musician’s favorite musician. One of one, if not the best songwriters in the country and on the continent. He has one of the best live performance sets, once you see him live or hear his music you will become a fan.
How do you believe the music industry can better support and nurture young talent and any advise to give young artists looking to make their mark?
Supporting and nurturing young talent in the music industry requires a multifaceted approach that addresses both structural barriers and individual development. Here are some ways the industry can better support young talent:
- Access to Resources: Provide easier access to recording studios, equipment, and rehearsal spaces at affordable rates or through grants and sponsorships.
- Education and Mentorship: Offer workshops, seminars, and mentorship programs that cover topics like songwriting, production, marketing, and navigating the music business.
- Networking Opportunities: Create platforms for young artists to network with industry professionals, other artists, and potential collaborators. This could include industry events, showcases, and online communities.
- Financial Support: Establish funding opportunities such as grants, scholarships, or low-interest loans specifically for young artists to help them finance projects, tours, or music education.
- Promotion and Exposure: Provide platforms for exposure through radio play, streaming playlists, music blogs, and social media promotion. Industry professionals could also facilitate introductions to influential figures in the music scene.
- Fair Contracts and Rights Management: Educate young artists about their rights, fair contracts, and royalties management to ensure they are treated fairly and can sustain their careers in the long term.
Advice for young artists?
- Patience, resilience and loyalty.
- Find a good team/tribe and travel the journey with them, with success don’t always allow new people to separate you from your team.
- Consistently strive to improve and grow, treat music like it’s a job.
- Don’t let your ambition for success make you make rash and bad decisions which may have negative consequences.
- Relationships are everything.