Sello “Chicco” Twala, a South African music producer, performer, and songwriter, has signed a breakthrough deal to promote the country’s recording talents internationally.
Twala began his music career at the age of 20 in 1982, and has remained a significant role in the business for decades.
He now regards his most recent cooperation as a game changer, and the artist emphasized its originality with “Tshisa Live”.
“Never before have American and South African music performers joined hands to form an organisation that would create opportunities for the young talented people of South Africa who have been struggling to penetrate the massive American market,” he told the publication.
The deal aims to challenge the dominance of Nigerian music in the US and Europe, a situation Twala cited as a major motivator for the new deal.
“The dominance of Nigerian music in the US and Europe is the reason I embarked on this journey,” he said.
“South Africa has the best dance music in all genres but we have not been able to penetrate those markets with our God-given talent in the way we should.”
According to “Tshisa Live”, the agreement aims to help 30,000 South African recording artists.
It comes after Twala met with Universal Royalty Exchange, a US-based company in conjunction with Imbokodo Collecting Society, to discuss royalties collected and local artists’ visibility in the worldwide market.
This collaboration also provides an opportunity to combine South African amapiano sounds with US hip-hop rap music.
Universal Royalty Exchange executive director Bruce Miller, who is the brother of Grammy award winner Mary J Blige and has worked with top musicians such as Jay Z and 50 Cent, said in a statement: “Our venture, which is the first collaboration of its kind, will leave a long-lasting legacy that will make South African music and dance a force to be reckoned with around the world.”
The Imbokodo and Universal Royalty Exchange are based in New York City. Through this collaboration, they plan to provide local musicians with a variety of services, including catalogue management, film and TV sync placements, bookings, and a global streaming platform.
It is also expected to open the door for South African artists to make big advances in the worldwide music industry.
As Twala put it: “The partnership with Universal Royalty Exchange will turn things around for South Africans as more South African musicians and dancers will make their mark in the US.”
Twala has became renowned for shaping the sounds of kwaito and mbaqanga. He first made waves with song like “Take Your Love and Go” and “I Get a Kick Out of You”.
In addition, his albums, “We Miss You” and “I Still Believe”, continue to enjoy enduring success.
