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Bothell ‘Bekezela’ Nkomo

Langalakhe Mabena
Bulawayo-born jazzman Bothell “Bekezela” Nkomo who is signed under South Africa’s Muthaland Entertainment record label has rubbished claims that he is a replacement of Nomvula hit-maker Nathi Mankayi at the stable.

This comes in the wake of Bekezela’s release of a self-titled album last year. The album received a positive response locally and in South Africa from Afro-Jazz fanatics who have in the process, referred to the muso as a Nathi copycat and his replacement at the stable. Nathi left Muthaland a month after Nkomo joined last year and it was said he left to start his own record label.

Media reports from South Africa, however, suggested that Nathi left because he was angered by Muthaland boss, Lance Stehr over an alleged contractual dispute. This is likely why some music followers felt Bekezela was being promoted to counter Nathi that is why he is being referred to as a replacement.

Bekezela, the Imali hit-maker who was signed by Muthaland on an almost similar script of being discovered from nowhere like Nathi, revealed he is his own man and urged fans to stop comparing him with the Nomvula hit-maker. He said they were two different artistes who have varying ambitions in the music industry.

“I’m not of Nathi’s replacement. I signed my deal with the record label last August and Nathi left the stable sometime in September. I’m my own man and I’m proud of what I’m doing,” Bekezela said.

His latest single, Amanzi, which features the smooth voiced fellow stable mate Ntando Bangani seems to have won the hearts of many since it was released on Valentine’s Day. He said the love ballad was inspired by his experience while holidaying in Durban.

“When I was on holiday in Durban, I was inspired by the movement of water in the beach. I then decided to do a love song in accordance with these waves.

“In Ndebele, there’s an adage which says, ‘Lapho okwake kwama khona amanzi azoma njalo’ which means two people who had been in love before, will meet and rekindle their love, that was my main theme when I wrote the song and I roped in Ntando because I knew his style was going to make the song more colourful,” said Bekezela.

As the South African Music Awards (SAMAs) nominations beckon, Bekezela who undeniably has made a name for himself in the South African Jazz fraternity revealed he could be a fan favourite but his immigration papers could bar him from getting nominated.

“My music is doing well here as it’s receiving quite a lot of airplay. With the effort I put to push my music, I believe I’m one of the favourites to be nominated in the SAMAs this year.

“However, we (Muthaland Entertainment) have to fix my residential permit which   will allow me to be nominated since the awards are mainly for South Africans,” he  said.