Uthembisa lukhulu okhuza ibuya emculweni

EMUVA kweminyaka kungaziwa ukuthi kwenzakalani ngekusasa lakhe emculweni, uSiphokazi Maraqana-Mohapi, usephumele obala ngezingqanamba ebezimxakile. USiphokazi wodumo lwengoma ethi Amacala, umemezele ngesitatimende ukuthi usengumculi ozimele emuva kokuphazamiseka ohambweni lakhe lomculo. 

"Eminyakeni ewu-16, bengingenasivumelwano futhi ngingaphethwe wumuntu. Yize kufanele ngabe kade ngayenza le ncazelo kodwa ngithe angiyenze ngenxa yothando lomculo  nasekuhlonipheni abalandeli bami nendima yomculo."

Uthe nakuba kunjalo kodwa uyohlale eyithulela isigqoko inkampani eyavumbulula ikhono lakhe, iNative Rhythm. "Ngiyayibonga inkampani eyangisiza ngokwethula iphimbo lami emhlabeni. Leso sahluko sangiguqula futhi sanginikeza amathuba engiyohlale ngiwatusa."

Uthe njengamanye amaciko naye uhlangabezanile nezingqinamba nezinselelo njengokunqindeka ekukhuleni emculweni, ikakhulukazi njengomuntu wesifazane.

"Kodwa nanoma iyiphi ingqinamba idlale indima ekungikhuliseni, hhayi njengomculi nombhali wezingoma kodwa njengesishoshovu nomnakeleli."

Uthe kuyona yonke le minyaka ubesafake ikhanda phansi obizweni lakhe lokucula ngenhloso yokupholisa ikhanda ngomculo nokuthuthukisa ngokuxoxa indaba. "Ngisaqhubeka nokubhala, ukuqopha nokucula izingoma engizenzile ngesikhathi ngisathungatha engizosebenzisana nabo nesigqi esisha. Namhlanje ngokuziqhenya ngiseGauteng, lapho ngihlale nginandisa bukhoma futhi ngixhumana nabalandeli bami abakhula mihla namalanga."

USiphokazi ube esezibongela kakhulu kubantu abawe bevuka naye kule minyaka eyedlule nabebeseka umsebenzi wakhe wokucula. "Ngiyanimema ukuba nihambe nami kulolu hambo olusha sengiwumculi ozimele. Umgwaqo ophambi kwami uyakhanya futhi ngijabule ukwabelana nani ngomculo, umzuzu nangesifundo ngomculo," kuphetha uSiphokazi.

Lo mculi owazalelwa eLusikisiki, e-Eastern Cape, uqale ngokuphelezela ngephimbo izingwazi ezinjengoTshepo Tshola, Ringo Madlingozi, Pat Mtshikiza, Simphiwe Dana, Zama Jobe neStimela. Uqale ukuzakhela igama nge-albhamu yakhe yokuqala eyayithi Ubuntu Bam, eyadayisa amakhophi angaphezu kuka-100 000. Ngayo uSiphokazi wahlabana ngendondo yeBest Newcomer neyeBest African Adult Contemporary Album kumaSama ngo-2007.

NakumaMetro FM Music Awards, wakhala wemuka neBest Female, Best Newcomer neBest Produced Album. Kwathi ngo-2008, waqokwa kumaKora Awards emunxeni weBest Southern African Artist. Wabe eselandela ngecwecwe elithi Ndinovuyo ngo-2008, nelithi Ethembeni ngo-2010. Unandise emicimbini emikhulu okubalwa kuyo i-2009 Fifa Confederation Cup nakwi-2010 Fifa World Cup kuleli.

Ubuye waba yinxusa lomkhankaso we-One Love ngenhloso yokugqugquzela abantu abasha ukuba basebenzise amakhondomu noma bazithibe ocansini. Akagcinanga lapho, wahambela ingqungquthela iWorld Music Conference neSXSW and Midem.