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Mkhululi Ncube, Showbiz Reporter 

Mxolisi “Mr Bones” Ndlovu could be smiling all the way to the bank as his 8th album launch at the Hillbrow Theatre in Johannesburg on Saturday was highly subscribed.

The success of the launch was likely due to the vigorous marketing of the event by the artiste. The composer started marketing the album on social media well before he recorded the album and kept his fans on the loop about every stage of his latest production titled Uvukile Umalambane.

After unveiling the album’s title online, Mr Bones then released branded t-shirts which his fans fell in love with and bought in their numbers as a way of supporting the album launch. At the launch, most were spotted wearing the t-shirts.

“The success of my album launch and high CD sales that we’re witnessing all comes down to the planning which I did. I kept my fans informed and went all out appealing to rhumba fans to come to the show. We’re still consolidating the numbers of our sales on the day, but all our stocked T-shirts were finished,” he said.

Before the launch, Mr Bones said he recorded a good number of pre-orders of CDs and t-shirts.

“I had around 300 pre-orders for the CD and t-shirt combo and on the day, we also made very good sales. This happened before two other launch shows slated for Cape Town and Botswana,” he said.

At the launch, he said, a team of Zimbabwean businessmen based in South Africa popularly known as Umzila Wegolide bought 300 CDs which they distributed to fans, further boosting his album sales.

The artiste said it was good seeing a number of women and children attend the show as he had always wanted to stage an event that would appeal to families. “That was my best show ever in terms of attendance,” Mr Bones said.

The album seems to have struck a good code with fans judging by comments on social media. The seven-track album has songs Sihamba Phezu Kwamalahle, Ndaka Namatila Semhaho, Uthint’ubukhali Bembazu, Uzenz’induna, Singahudulwa Yizinja and Sekuzuli Ngqungqulu.

Meanwhile, Mr Bones has cleared the air on news that a South Africa-based Zimbabwean actor and producer Mthulisi Moyo who acted on the series Mahlalela was shot at the venue of his album launch.

“The unfortunate incident happened after he had attended my show and not at the show. Some are spreading false rumours that he was shot at our show which is incorrect. It is such lies that kill our music industry as people may not want to attend our shows fearing for their lives. 

“I’ve spoken to him and wished him a speedy recovery and he confirmed as well that he was shot after having left the venue,” said the Umthandazo weHumutsha composer. – @themkhust