By Hlamalani Semango
Sixteen years after winning a recording deal from a talent show, a 46-year-old woman from Randfontein, west of Johannesburg, has released a single called Lord I Give You The Praise.
Bonisiwe Mdingi says after winning the deal to record 10 songs from the South African Disabled Musicians Association in 2005, she continued working on her songs, recording them and performing at events, but the CD was never published.
“I then met Vukile Xoli, a music producer and founder of Lawd and Klear music production, back in 2019 through a mutual friend, when we wanted to start our own choir for people with disabilities around Soweto.
“Working with Vukile on this single was a great experience because we were more like a team. He valued my opinions as an artist, and knew the kind of impact I wanted to achieve with my music. He also helped me in getting it well published unlike my previous album back in 2005. My recording label never bothered to make sure my songs were published or well marketed in spite of all the hard work I put in,” says Mdingi,who has a polio disability.
Xoli (48), who is from Lawley 2 in the south of Johannesburghas been working closely with Mdingi ever since, and produced the single.
He says, “Working with Bonisiwe was an amazing experience as she was very humble and kind all the time. As a music producer who is also disabled, her trusting me with this project was a huge privilege.”
During the three months that Mdingi was recording her single, she was hardly at home because she would come back from work and go to the studio. At times, she says, she would go three times a week because she would have to rectify some mistakes on the song.
Through all that, she also had to continue running Disability Pride (Pty) Ltd, a business she started in 2013, which specialises in cleaning, gardening, catering, construction andsupplies refreshments to petrol stations.
Mdingi’s daughter, Magugu Mvuyane (24) told Thisability that her mom is a dream chaser, that she did not give up when at first things did not go according to plan. “She tried again a few years later and we are hoping for the best for this single she recently released.
Her single is really nice. She put all her effort on it and I am actually proud of her,” she said.
Mdingi says her daughter supported her the most as she was taking care of her other children, making sure the household was in order and running errands on her behalf.
“My plan for this year is to make sure that I win the Mlwazet Bavundulule Festival talent show for up-and-coming musicians. I am praying that I win the competition so that Ican gain exposure, like television and radio interviews. Winning the competition would also be a great opportunity for me to be able to afford to have a manager, as it is hard to manage a brand on my own especially if I win and get a lot of gigs,” says Mdingi.
