1 0N 1 WITH...Mr Smooth, Gift Gwe !!!!
+Exclusive interview
''The industry is what you make of it."
Energetic and charming Neo-soul singer, Gift
Gwe shot to fame back in 2005, as the runner-up of South African Idols, season
3.Since then, he has grown as a muzo and continues to do his thing as a
performer, having bagged well-noted award nominations and has a following of
groupies to back him up!
It’s a new year and 28-year-old
Gift or rather, Mr Smooth, as he has been dubbed is more positive than ever about the year ahead. Positive you
might ask?It was reported late last year in various tabloids that he is in fact
broke.The tabloids also stated that he is on the verge of drying
up as an artist, as he only has gigs
booked until the end of January this year. However, Gift paints a totally different
picture, while taking a break from his busy schedule. For the first time, he
speaks out about various claims made about him."They said I am so
broke that I eat rocks,which is absolutely not true,"says an adamant Gift, who
was also labelled as a Tik abuser, affirmative Idol, flop idol and more at the
hands of the tabloids. He denies those claims too, according to Gift he does
not do drugs. After the claims were made late last year,
it spread like wild fire and left tongues wagging. Gift admits that the claims made about him, almost cost him big time.
'The false allegations almost messed up my last 4 performances I had in December,
’’adds Gift.Despite the controversial claims made about him, he has learnt to rise above it and remains as positive as he once was, when he had it all – instant star dome and fame, a life which many young people aspire to back in 2005, shortly after falling short of winning the most coveted title when it comes to singing competitions, as well as reality TV shows
"My skin is thicker than that hey, come 2014 I will still be standing with a huge ass smile on my face,”says Gift confidently, as he fights back at the controversial claims aimed at ruining his reputation.
He did however, go through a dark phase in his career in 2007, shortly after releasing his debut album Back to You, under his then record label Sony BMG. Due to a dispute at his record label, he changed his management twice and felt that his record label is not paying enough attention to him. Although, he was nominated for a SAMA award and Metro FM award, following the success of Back To You it was simply not enough for a highly competitive Gift, as fans once knew him to be when he was a contestant on Idols.Things became too much for Gift to handle, which lead to him suffering from depression and even had suicidal tendencies, as a result and lost a lot of weight which explains his weight loss at the time, which was sensationalized and lead to rumours that he is abusing drugs.
Gift, then went back to Mossel Bay on the West Coast, where he dealt with his depression and spent time finding himself again through music and song writing, as music was all he knew, thanks to a built in studio at his Mossel Bay home. Living in a society which feeds off cheap sensationalism, many have had their reputations ruined as a result of sensationalism at the hands of not only the tabloids, but society as a whole .
So,what can fans expect from Gift this year?Well, according to Gift he will continue doing his thing alongside his band which includes back-up singers and backup dancers, which he has added to his energetic live performances to spice it up even more."Last year, I only supported other artists and artist in concerts,corporate events and festivals, this year, I will be creating my own live events including gospel,"
says Gift.Fans can also look forward to the release of his new album Ep, Soulidbrotha. The album consists of a variety of sounds ranging from electro-soul to deep Afro-soul.So, it has quite a varied appeal where audiences are concerned. Gift also has his eye set on getting back into acting, to add more variety to his expertise as an artist. Mm...bring it on!
it spread like wild fire and left tongues wagging. Gift admits that the claims made about him, almost cost him big time.
'The false allegations almost messed up my last 4 performances I had in December,
’’adds Gift.Despite the controversial claims made about him, he has learnt to rise above it and remains as positive as he once was, when he had it all – instant star dome and fame, a life which many young people aspire to back in 2005, shortly after falling short of winning the most coveted title when it comes to singing competitions, as well as reality TV shows
"My skin is thicker than that hey, come 2014 I will still be standing with a huge ass smile on my face,”says Gift confidently, as he fights back at the controversial claims aimed at ruining his reputation.
He did however, go through a dark phase in his career in 2007, shortly after releasing his debut album Back to You, under his then record label Sony BMG. Due to a dispute at his record label, he changed his management twice and felt that his record label is not paying enough attention to him. Although, he was nominated for a SAMA award and Metro FM award, following the success of Back To You it was simply not enough for a highly competitive Gift, as fans once knew him to be when he was a contestant on Idols.Things became too much for Gift to handle, which lead to him suffering from depression and even had suicidal tendencies, as a result and lost a lot of weight which explains his weight loss at the time, which was sensationalized and lead to rumours that he is abusing drugs.
Gift, then went back to Mossel Bay on the West Coast, where he dealt with his depression and spent time finding himself again through music and song writing, as music was all he knew, thanks to a built in studio at his Mossel Bay home. Living in a society which feeds off cheap sensationalism, many have had their reputations ruined as a result of sensationalism at the hands of not only the tabloids, but society as a whole .
So,what can fans expect from Gift this year?Well, according to Gift he will continue doing his thing alongside his band which includes back-up singers and backup dancers, which he has added to his energetic live performances to spice it up even more."Last year, I only supported other artists and artist in concerts,corporate events and festivals, this year, I will be creating my own live events including gospel,"
says Gift.Fans can also look forward to the release of his new album Ep, Soulidbrotha. The album consists of a variety of sounds ranging from electro-soul to deep Afro-soul.So, it has quite a varied appeal where audiences are concerned. Gift also has his eye set on getting back into acting, to add more variety to his expertise as an artist. Mm...bring it on!
Q AND A WITH ….
mr smooth
How would you define yourself?
Driven, passionate and a perfectionist.
A new year means……..
We go bigger than the year
before.
Do you believe in new years resolutions?if so,what are yours?I believe in new years resolutions, but to make them more effective one needs to have daily objectives.
Do you believe in new years resolutions?if so,what are yours?I believe in new years resolutions, but to make them more effective one needs to have daily objectives.
One thing people do not know about you?
I am very tough to please.
How would you define your sound as a singer?
Neo Soul - if I can't connect with your soul then its in vain.
Neo Soul - if I can't connect with your soul then its in vain.
How would you say you have grown since idols
days?
I've learned how to treat all my clients with respect from mere fans to booking agents. The music is business is not just waking up and singing. There's a lot of work one needs to put in to get a good performance. I had to learn to work alone for most hours of each day. That's not easy when there's no one to account to.
I've learned how to treat all my clients with respect from mere fans to booking agents. The music is business is not just waking up and singing. There's a lot of work one needs to put in to get a good performance. I had to learn to work alone for most hours of each day. That's not easy when there's no one to account to.
Music on your playlist at the moment?Kanye West, Bilal Oliver, BoysIIMen (our
styles would clash but wouldn't care) and Eric Benet.
If you could do a colab with any music artist
or group ,who would it be?
Mafikizolo
Mafikizolo
Home meal cooked or fast food?Home cooked, you can probably imagine how
many fast foods I eat on the road.
What are your thoughts on the South African
music industry at the moment?
The industry is what you make of it. It's big enough for anyone to make
money out of. That's concerts, corporate events, weddings, parties, record
sales, downloads, endorsements, etc... If you know how to trade you're in
business.
Please tell me more about your new,upcoming
albumThe name of the album
(EP) is Soulidbrotha - The word means: solid soul brother with
identity. A grounded-man with a proper spiritual foundation. The album has
quite a variety of sounds ranging from electro-soul to deep Afro-soul. It's a
must-listen, but not out yet.
Message to your fans…
I'm forever grateful for your love and support. The journey continues - I can only promise good concerts and good music.
I'm forever grateful for your love and support. The journey continues - I can only promise good concerts and good music.
Check
facebook.com\Gift Gwe
 |
Gift Gwe doing his thing live on stage.Check out this cool vid as Gift Performs live at Zula Bar Courtesy of Youtube.com . Memorable moments: Gift embraces Karin Kortje with a hug as the runner-up of Idols Season 3. |
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