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The amazing rise of Konke has been a sight to see. The 20-year-old singer, whose real name is Phiwakonke Ntokozo Ntanzi, blew up in May when he released his first single, “Kancane,” with award-winning amapiano star Musa Keys.
“Kancane” is one of the most popular songs of the year, even though it has only been out for a few months.
In August, just three months after it came out, Konke and Keys gave a stunning performance of the hit single at the South African Music Awards.
Wanting to make the most of the growing buzz, the two put out another single, “Mnike,” earlier this month. The song was an instant hit on the radio. It’s been a very interesting start.
When we talk on the phone, Konke tells us that he just got back to his home city of Durban after a quick trip to Joburg to perform on Channel O’s Massive Music. Almost every week, he has been going to and from Joburg.
While his meteoric rise has taken some adjusting to, it’s been a journey he’s been enjoying.
“It’s super amazing,” he says. “It just requires me to allocate my time efficiently. It’s also just given me a very great experience, getting to know different places, and travelling around different countries.
“The experience on its own is dope to a point where you feel like, eish, whenever I’m not moving or not going anywhere it’s actually not my life.”
He says that the people in charge of his career at the House of Tayo and T-Effect did a great job of moving it along so quickly.
Konke’s roller coaster ride began in March, when Keys saw a video of him singing that he had posted on Instagram. Keys left a comment on the post and then sent him a direct message (DM) asking if they could work together.
Konke doesn’t remember seeing the DM until about five hours later, because he had been busy studying in the library at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, where he is in the third year of his law degree.
“I knew I had to reply or react very, very fast, so I sent my contact details as he requested. Same time, he gave me a call and he said he wants me in Jozi so we can record something.
“We did that and, within two days, ‘Kancane’ was born. It was the brightest new beginning. Things just started moving and changing.”
One of the new amapiano star’s most pertinent challenges is to figure out how to balance his musical success with his studies. When he completes his degree, Konke plans on using and merging his skills as a musician with his legal acumen.
“What I’m trying to do is to use my legal skills to venture into music in a very broad way by becoming someone’s legal adviser or lawyer. I want to do this while being an artist, using the skills and qualifications that I have.”
“Mnike” and “Kancane” are still getting a lot of attention, so Konke and the House of Tayo collective want to put out a new EP before he puts out his own solo project early next year.
Before Keys showed up and he saw that the amapiano scene in Durban wasn’t doing well, Konke had been trying out different types of music, including R&B and hip hop.
“It was super dope until I met Keys,” he says.
Since meeting Keys and seeing his life change in the blink of an eye, Konke adds that the most surprising aspect of the journey has been how fast things can change in the industry.
“The industry is a platform or environment where, if you work hard, you have the capability to outrun the people who you found in the industry already. It’s a space that’s so open and one that really rewards hard work.
“If you work hard, just know that at some point you will reap the reward for your hard work.”
Another realisation he’s had since breaking into the industry is that amapiano is even bigger than he’d thought.
“It’s growing and it’s not stopping anytime soon. It’s something that’s going to get better and better each and every day. Like there’s no way we can say at some point in time that people will forget about amapiano. There’s no way.
“It’s that sound that’s opening doors for many, many people, especially the youth. People have started life from the sound. I can say that amapiano is God’s way of saving the youth.
“Considering this country is suffering from high levels of unemployment, this sound has just come in and opened doors for people to make a living and change the situation at home for their families.
“Amapiano is everything.”
Despite only getting into making amapiano music this year, Konke says he was an early admirer and has been listening and enjoying the sound since it first went mainstream.
“Now, it’s time that I participate and make an impact, just like the grootmans (elders) in the game, and make sure that I deliver.”