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The South African Music Awards (Samas) are set to honour Ringo Madlingozi with a Lifetime Achievement Award, but for the afro-soul singer, his biggest desire is to revive the appreciation for cassette tapes and vinyl records.
The legendary songwriter and record producer, along with gospel trailblazer Sipho Makhabane, will be honoured with the same award at the highly anticipated ceremony which will be held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand next month.
Madlingozi and Makhabane are honoured for their contributions to SA’s rich musical tapestry and their decades of influence along with their timeless hits that resonate with music lovers, and the birth of many musicians we see today.
Speaking to Sowetan SMag, the legendary singer known for his classic Sondela hit said: “I am quite aware that my journey inspired a lot of young musicians and it always warms my heart when I pick up subtle nuances or references derived from my music or sound. Hearing a bit of that ‘Ringo effect’ or emulation in afro-soul songs proves that I’ve been on the right track in terms of what I’ve done in the music industry.”
The 60-year icon described the lifetime achievement award he’s set to receive as one of his “biggest” accolades that will be grouped with all the awards he’s received in his three-decade career.
“Life for musicians of today is much easier. They are able to have a closer relationship with their audience more than we did back in the 80s and 90s. The use of social media has been essential to some of the artistes’ rapid growth in the industry which I wish we had back then,” he said.
“What I miss the most is being able to feel the product. We used to touch cassette tapes and CDs . . . even vinyls are expensive now.
“Yes, streaming makes our music easily accessible to the international market but that real musical experience is gone, it’s all about the numbers which is less exciting.”
Madlingozi broke into the music scene as a group member, Peto, who won the Shell Road to Fame talent contest in 1986. He embarked on his solo journey in 1996 with his debut album Vukani, selling tens of thousands of copies.
“You’re only as good as your last album in this industry. Being able to share my artistic ability with people and inspiring a lot of people means the world to me, it’s truly telling my purpose,” he said. — Sowetan
