By Palesa Matlala
- Siphiwe Mgidi teaches kids to drum in a garage studio and supports young local talent in Soweto.
- He says artists are still recovering from the pandemic and need proper support, not R370 grants.
Soweto artist Siphiwe Mgidi is using his mother’s garage to teach children in his neighbourhood how to play the drums.
The 37-year-old is a self-taught drummer who fell in love with music during the 1990s after listening to kwaito artists. He later began writing and performing his own songs.
“I started playing music at an early age and fell in love with live instruments,” he said.
Mgidi later studied at South West Gauteng College and earned a diploma in music. He went on to work with other artists and played in several bands.
But he says many people still don’t take art seriously.
“A lot of people in the township still think art is just a hobby or something to do when you’re bored,” said Mgidi.
He said many believe you can’t earn a living through creative work like painting, photography, music or dance.
Still, that didn’t stop him from releasing his first EP Hola Kau, recorded in a backroom studio in Soweto. It’s now available on all streaming platforms.
“I partnered with unknown producers, photographers and musicians from Soweto because I believe artists should support each other to survive,” he said.
Mgidi said artists received little to no help during the Covid pandemic, and they’re still struggling.
“During Covid, our industry was hit hard. Some rehearsal spaces closed and never reopened. We relied on gigs to survive,” he said.
“It’s post-Covid and we’re told to register for a R370 grant — that’s an insult.”
He believes the government should appoint a minister with a background in the arts, someone who understands what the industry really needs.
“The government needs to invest more money and resources. Many artists are battling depression and drug abuse,” he said.
“We don’t have a survival plan because of high unemployment and no funding. We just want to be a priority.”
Despite the challenges, Mgidi is working on a kwaito tribute album honouring the pioneers of the genre and hopes to collaborate with MXO, Sliq Angel and Siya Shezi.
Pictured above: Siphiwe Mgidi teaching drumming in his garage studio.
Image source: Siphiwe Mgidi
