Singer Songwriters From South Africa

"Soccer was the only thing I enjoyed and loved wholeheartedly"

"We used to sit at home and sing, which I’d say sparked and motivated my interest in music – those moments are my main influences."

"I find it easy to maintain a decent life as a father and husband who is under the spotlight because of the music that I sing. When I write music, I fast and pray. It creates the intimacy that I need to have when making music,"

"But age is a huge factor"

"My dad is a pastor, and my mom is a pastor’s wife. Both my parents are quite musical."

"I’d go for days without going to church, even though I knew it was a place I’d need to refill"

"What I love about being a gospel singer is that I get to serve people, unlike soccer, which is more of a hobby. What’s undeniable is that music chose me"

"However, I couldn’t fulfil my dream due to my age [late 20s]. It was tough for me to accept because soccer was my first love, but I embraced what had to be."

"You cannot work as if you are an island; you will not get the best results. You will get the best music when you open yourself up to learn and to teach, which is what I have done, and it has worked"

"You don't want to be called a one-hit-wonder and fall out on any business you've embarked on because of no educational background of understanding what it is that you're doing"

"The reason I decided to enrol at the business of entertainment, media and sport at Harvard Business School was because we just launched a new company that represents athletes and entertainers."

"I think what sets South Africa apart is that we really are a dancing nation, so when it comes to dance music, it just makes sense. Just go onto TikTok, and you will see South Africans straight up running the TikTok dance challenges. We love dancing in South Africa, so it makes sense for us when it comes to dominating dance stages"

"I always say that a song really makes itself; you have to allow a song to speak to you and just follow its calling. An idea will come to you as just an idea"

"Music itself seeks to collaborate. Every song has collaboration—every instrument collaborates with another to make a song. Drums collaborate with a bass, with a voice, with strings, to make a song. I love collaborating; you can’t make music without collaborating instruments and minds"

"I am a result of coming from a poverty stricken background, to where I am today. So my life is a motivation. If you were to look into my life or watch my interviews, with that I don't even have to motivate you. My life itself is a clear indication that if you dream, you become what you want to be."

"But I’m here to flip that narrative. A Phara isn’t just someone who gets by; it’s someone who rises, builds, and dreams despite the odds"

"I would encourage everyone to try and collaborate as much as you can because when you do, everyone in the studio will aim to push the envelope. You will never be able to compete with my creativity when you want to work on your own because I have a team of people who make me great, and who I make great. I am in such a sweet spot because I accept that music has to be shared"

"Whenever AKA would drop something, I’d be like, ‘Man, how do I come up with something stronger?’ Kiernan [AKA’s birth name] would always keep you on your toes. So, when such starts diminishing, whether by an unfortunate passing of a rapper or rapper’s tenacity to keep going, it makes it hard for one to keep the bar high"

"I think it’s still fresh in our minds, just the fact that he’s gone and the way that he left. So Hip-Hop is not in its best state right now. But as far as us getting together and making music, I think it’s in a good place sonically"

"A Phara is anyone who refuses to fold, regardless of background or circumstance"

"This song is a hustler's prayer and is very close to my heart,” he said. “I'm basically pleading with God to spare me because I still have so much that I need to do. The year [2022] has been hard on the hip hop community, and it's hard not to be conscious of how heavy the energy is around all of us. 'Emoyeni' is also a reminder that, even in trying times, we should not be ruled by fear and take a moment to celebrate"

"That spirit lives in every street, in every story. That spirit lives in this album"

"What’s a Phara? It’s the genius of turning pain into power, hustle into legacy"

"Everything that you want to do you need some sort of education for you to excel in it. So, with just great talent you can only be just that great... But with that great talent plus schooling, you become even more amazing. It's like greatness on steroids"

"See, the way I feel about it is, for example, if Messi (touch wood) were to pass away, Cristiano Rolando would possibly feel a certain way… he’d probably stop playing soccer"

"Phara City is our reality, the scars we carry, the victories we earn, the hope we hold onto"

"The word ‘Phara’ has long carried street weight, often linked to outcasts and survivors"

"You know, the people you actually compete with are the reason why you go a little bit harder because they keep raising the bar but in the same breath, you’re not aware that you’re positioning yourself to be great or elevated as an artist"

"Being able to do something different and show another side of my creativity was such a proud moment for me. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and showed me that I can tell stories in more than one way."

"I think one of the things that I had to learn is that sometimes you have to be patient for some things; no matter how talented you are, you just have to be patient. And also, hard work pays off. Well, it hasn’t really fully paid off for me but I can see the rewards of working hard."

"When you attack life at such a young age, you have ambition and you’re hoping that things will go your way until you actually get the experience that life doesn’t quite work that way."

"Sometimes talent alone is not enough and I’ve had to learn that along the way. Sometimes you just have to work hard."

"I think the formula is just being honest and sincere"

"The album is like taking pages from my diary and choosing what I want to say, but it’s basically about my life"

"I hate listening to myself because I hear all the things that I could have done better."

"When I have nothing to say, i don't see the need to make noise."

"We are no longer asking for things to change, to be more just and equitable."

"Or how about when they hire a White stunt double to do your stunts, whom they put in blackface? And then when you report these things to the higher-ups, you’re often met with arrogance and dismissal. There’s this attitude that you’re hypersensitive or just causing trouble and being an inconvenience. You’ll be told that no one else has a problem with the hair and makeup stylists."

"As artists and storytellers, our work is to reflect humanity back to itself and to steer people’s aspirations. We are the doctors of the human soul. We are healers and educators."

"I’ve always been very clear that I don’t want fame and fortune. I want diversity and longevity in my career and to really do work that makes a really meaningful impact on the world."

"As a Black actor, I have to do my job just like everybody else in the room, but half of the energy that should be spent focusing on excelling in my craft has to go elsewhere. I have the added burden of constantly having to fight with writers, directors, or producers to fix a racist script or to keep my character from being portrayed in a way that perpetuates age-old, racist stereotypes."

"I have to explain why certain terms are racially offensive. And then there are the humiliating fights over why I deserve to have a hairstylist who understands my hair texture because White stylists are damaging my hair or don’t know how to work with it. The same goes for makeup artists. They may be obviously painting my face the wrong color, but then they’ll get irritated and defensive when I point this out, telling me to bring my own foundation and powder because they did not care to invest in a broader range of makeup that would cater to actors of all shades"

"You are constantly having to defend why you are standing up for yourself when you are the victim."

"The arts have always been a part of my life and they are in my blood. This is my God-given calling. I am just walking out my purpose and my calling in life."

"I’ve always had a very deep passion for social justice and social justice issues, being a black child born under apartheid in the 1980’s. That had a very deep impact on me and my heart. That passion was always also inside of me and I’ve also felt very passionate about empowering young people especially from under privileged backgrounds in particularly in my community through education and the performing arts."

"Actors need to really master the art of compassion and of non-judgement and in order to do that you have to have a very broad and diverse experience of the world."

"Take the time to develop and study the craft – go to school. Take it seriously as a profession and honour your talent the same way you would if you wanted to become a doctor or a lawyer."

"Strive for excellence all the time. Be responsible about the kind of work you do and the kind of a social impact it can make."

"I have always been hungry for education and information and just really keen to understand the world better and I am really just fascinated by different people and different cultures and histories."

"Be good to people – the industry is surprisingly small and people remember. Stay humble and true to yourself. And most importantly, be fiercely brave!"