"Venda artists must unite”

“In other countries, artists are united and they work together,” said the 23-year-old Manyalo singer, Fhatuwani Dzhandzhi, better known as Queen Popoo from Vondo la Thavha.

She emphasised that if Venda artists were united “we can achieve more, if we work together and support each other instead of criticising and competing with jealousy amongst each other.” She added that music was a gift from God “and God gives in different ways.”

Popoo signed with new management Chrysler and Comic entertainment (CCE) and she is hopeful that the new management will help send a message of unity to the fans and other musicians. “Fans should stop comparing musicians, because we are all not gifted in the same way. We might all be singing Manyalo, but our style and message won’t be the same. The fans will, however, try to compare us. We are different, hence we have different names,” she said.

Popoo, who is also a second-year information technology (IT) student at Vhembe FET College's Makwarela campus, said that artists should stop copying each other and be more creative when they make their music. “I have a single, Nndi ndenwa, and I don’t expect another artist to release a song with the same title or message.”

Her third studio album, Faranani, meaning "unite", is set to be released during the Easter holidays. Her single tracks Ndi ndenwa, Faranani and U swika litshi tsha are already known to the fans and have received a positive response from them. According to Popoo, the VhaVenda tribe is the only tribe that does not support each other musicalIy.

Fans interested in her music can simply like her Facebook page, Fhatuwani Dzhandzhi Popoo,  and for  bookings phone her manager, Chris Chrysler Mafuvha, at 079 887 9686 or Comic at 076 7116 697.

Entertainment - Date: 24 February 2018

Maanda Bele

Maanda  Bele, born and raised in Nzhelele Siloam, studied journalism at the Tshwane University of Technology.

He is passionate about current news and international affairs.

He worked as part of the Zoutnet team as an intern in 2017.

He is currently a freelance journalist specialising in news from the Vhembe district.

Email: [email protected]