Jazzing up with Xolisa Mamaila

Demi Hewamanna

Kgomotso Xolisa Mamaila (phew...got the spellings right), is the vibrant, lively and talented young jazz artist who is down in Sri Lanka and has been performing at the Thorana Lounge of the Hilton Colombo for the past month.

When I saw her perform for the first time, I was really taken back and toe tapping to every song she was singing. Even though I haven't got the chance to step into South Africa I was glad a part of it came here and perfiormed some soul touching S. African music with an artist who truly did bring the best of her country through her voice, energy and movement. Dressed in an emerald green dress with gold bordering and a necklace that brought her personality in such bright truly made her look like a princess from the tribal communities :)

Her performance for the night included a song I very much love - The lion sleeps tonight, which she sang in the true naturalistic African voice and got the crowd moving and singing along with her.

And it always good to see a live performance from a true musician who is passionate about her music and who takes in the music to her body soul and brings out what she feels when she begins to sing.

I had the opportunity to talk to Xolisa and know more about her love for music, God and of course her family.

"I was 12 years old when I first got on to stage and sing and it has been 12 years now since I started to take up music professionally", a smiling Xolisa was telling as she reminisced the past. I began to study music in 2000 and went to the Johansberg East Side College. My teacher, Bheti Khoza, who is also my mentor and who I owe everything to introduced me to jazz.

When in school, we started a band called Lab Antique and I was the backup singer in it. We concentrated mainly on African Jazz music. But after I left school, we discovered new stuff and did tribal jazz as well. And in 2004, she began a 7 piece band with two vocalists.

I began writing my own music but then took a break for a little while when I had my daughter Ofentse who is 8 years old now.

But after some time I got back into the music field and was a backup singer for Khethi who was in the verge of releasing her album. I have known her from the year 2000. I went back again to Lab Antiques and began performing for public functions, company events and festivals.

How did you get the chance to perform in Sri Lanka?

I got connected by the South African Embassy in Sri Lanka and was brought down with my band Tonic State (five piece band) and came last year March and performed at the Il Ponte restaurant. This year only I came.

When I went back, I wanted to do something more here and it was then that I wrote to Kapila and through Toabo Sanyane sent him my details and got brought down here again.

When I first arrived to the country, the people were very humble and warm. While performing at Il Ponte my band and I got invited to perform at many other places as well.

I have performed with band in places like Budapest, Rachikavo, Germany, Malawi, Zimbawe and in most parts of South Africa.

Was there anyone in your family who was involved in music?

In my mother's side of the family, there was one but I was the first to make it a career. This is all praise to my grandfather.

He was a spirited person who lived up to 90 years. My grandfather is the main link in this.

I have a very supporting family because usually in South Africa people think wrongly when they say they are going to be musicians.

To me, music is like a trance, there is something that takes you over. I had a sangoma (traditional healing) because everyone thought I had a calling.

Initially I wanted to play the piano but the love of my life is the bass string guitar.

My mother Nosisa Isabella is my driving force and my running energy even in my lowest.

Xolisa also added that she is a strong believer of God and each time she gets on stage, says a prayer to guide her and let her give the best of what she can to her audience.

She thanks her 3 close friends, her manager Truly, D Lamini, my producer who has been my best friend for 18 years - Lebogang Mathlugi, Tumi, Miley and my dad's family who came by to sell the tickets.