Idols SA Mthokozisi Ndaba is gearing up for his acting debut when his film Zimelele airs on Mzansi Magic this Saturday.
The movie is a rural adaption of Cinderella; where a young girl finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and stepsisters who reduce her to a labourer following the death of her father.
Speaking on the role, Mthokozisi admits him becoming an actor is a dream come true.
“I’ve always wanted to be an actor because I started off as a dancer and then became a singer and eventually did it all. I learned when I was still young that in order to make it in the entertainment industry, you have to be versatile. As an artist you need to be able to do all these things.”
Mthokozisi, who is engaged and expecting a baby with Lockdown actress Nandipha Sefoloko, tells us the role came at just the right time.
Last year, he was struggling to make inroads in his music career following his stint on Idols and allegations of abuse.
“I suffered a severe rejection from people… from fellow artist to my friends, who are artists. I would ask for features and they would refuse. When I was on the verge of being booked for shows, they would come back and say people are saying all these things about you and these allegations. It really hurt me. As much as I am not bitter but I was hurt.”
“I told myself, it’s fine because a letter from the senior public prosecutor has come in to say the case is completely cancelled because there is no evidence. There was no one doing damage control for me but I told myself its fine because God will help me.”
Following the allegations, Mthokozi lost a number of sponsorships and performance gigs, including a record label deal. Despite those setbacks, the 26-year-old says he never thought about giving up on his dream to be an entertainer.
“I said to myself, let me tap into a world that is not my comfort zone and that is where God showed himself. Anyone could have gone crazy or even killed themselves because there is nothing more painful than being accused of something you have not done. In as much as I wanted to prove to South Africa, I didn’t do this I just kept quiet and listened to my pastor who told me to calm down.”
His career and personal life are now on an upward trend as not only does he have a movie to look forward too but he is back in the studio.
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The KwaMashu singer is dropping two singles at the end of the month. The first being Mama wam’ ft Musa Sukwene, which is dedicated to his late mother Phumzile Ndaba who passed away in 2005.
Followed by Save Me from Me, which is a track about “humanity and the importance of working together and being there for one another.”
