And it may be perfectly argued that the astonishing falsetto that sounded as though belonged to an Arab eunuch, though strangely underrated, was the reason Boom Shaka songs were immediately affective. The last albums of Boom Shaka where Mathosa increasingly assumed lead duties single-handedly, think Words of Wisdom (1998), vocal performances were not as successfully executed as when Theo had been co-lead, if not leading. And the songs were not as moving, think the imperfect hit Thobela (c.1995) where Theo’s voice resurrects an ordinary, aimless, plodding song into an instant hit through his contagious vocal performance. But the two male members were overshadowed by the spectacle of the gaudily dressed two female performers, remember that even Thembi Seete, not known for any singing ability, was more prominent than Theo. It was a case of the public and the media more obsessed with the salaciously clad performers that even Mathosa who was more of a dance performer than a singer, was accorded the status of a vocal goddess, forgetting that the unforgettable voice in the rabble-rousing chorus in the first sensationally seminal single It’s About Time (c. 1994) belonged to none other than Theo. It is the quality of this falsetto, a falsetto so rare in the country one would have to think abroad for comparisons to such singers as the late Jermaine Stewart, Prince and El DeBarge, that led the lordly duo Revolution to invite Theo to lead guest voice on last year’s almighty anthem Feel The Music (off the album 4U, Dec, 2006) where he, by way of his incredibly suggestive voice, seemed to be saying more than the words he was singing. Deeply impressed by Theo’s vocal performance in the vocal booth and generally by his unassuming, slightly down-beat, homie behaviour, the Mothiba Twin Bros, who form Revolution and quietly run Four Sounds Productions studios in Kelvin, north of Johannesburg, negotiated to sign this most underrated artist who moved the masses for the better part of the last decade.

Remarkably enough, coincidentally, Theo is one of the few artists in pop to be able to ditch with smooth transition his former teenybopper fan base that is enthralled by his unbelievably the other-sex looks. He belongs to the company of Prince, Terrence Trent D’Arby and George Michael who dispensed with their former embarrassing audiences who barely understood their music. Theo, too, has shrugged off pursuit of instant gratification hits for well-crafted and thoughtful songs with emotional depth. There are no gimmicks here typical of instant hit treasure-hunters. No song appealing to pubescent girls in their mother’s knickers. It is strictly adult content whose chief appeal to 15-24 will be primarily its modish beats and wanting to be seen to be with the suave crowd.

He returns to enter a niche market with few male solo singers, more so this time when it looks as though it’s The Year of the Female Singer: he drops a butter hot album packed with hits more than a Sugar Ray Leonard punch combination. It is that intelligent, that suave, that irresistibly delectable covered with a wholesome sheen of production as though it were some lavish photography. Single-handedly Theo replaces Mafikizolo in an instant; his intelligent choices of duets, the eternal ballad featuring peerless gospel diva Deborah, renowned backing vocalist singer Khanyo Maphumulo, a slept-on gospel star Jay Hlungwane, and the rising star Maduvha, the latter a colleague at the stable with cameo appearances from Ntumiseng. The ballad Lalani Ngoxolo [Rest In Peace], inspired by the untimely death of songstress and former lover Lebo Mathosa, with Deborah may as well be a crossover into adult gospel listeners what with Theo revealing that, like thousands, he is fan of Deborah who often listens to gospel in his private moments:

“I’m a fan of Deborah. I chose to sing with her because I collect her music. I listen to gospel when I’m alone in my house,” said Theo.

Theo had been focusing on his other skills as a fashion designer by which, incidentally, he came to meet with the Mothiba Twin Bros when he had been selling them his wares. In addition to this he was pursuing his other interest that is interior designing; he has done quite a few remarkable interior designs for some of Jo’Burg’s well-heeled celebrities. But he says that he was also mot ready to get into the vocal booth, maybe because he found the idea of competing with Mathosa intimidating when the latter had so much eminent profile. But he puts it down to readiness when asked as to why he took so long to record a solo album when he shown so much promise:

“I wasn’t ready to fix the music. For Kalawa [Jazme] did want to work with me. I remember Zayne [Sibika, one of the producers at Kalawa Jazzme] even gave me a few songs to see what I could do with. But I was hesitating. I wasn’t ready emotionally. On the other hand, there were people that I wanted to work with but I hadn’t decided on the kind of music, the direction I was to take. So I decided to pursue my other passions which are clothes and interior design,” he says.

One of the unappreciated facts in the country is the well-engineering done by the Mothiba Bros as Four Sounds Productions. It took eight months of working on Ngiyabonga and a combination of accidental luck to have this one album the most perfectly engineered ever produced this year (2007) - at least Ngiyabonga should walk away with Best Engineering Award in next year’s SAMA (2008) otherwise those awards are worth nothing. Every note, every sound, is in its place and contains absolutely no imperfect echoes or incorrectly produced sounds. In addition to this is that Ngiyabonga, like the all Four Sounds Productions outputs, are recorded in Kelvin, Johannesburg and mastered in London, England, in one of the top mastering studios in the world.

Theo is planning to embark on promotion for the album in live shows with a group of dancers he has just finished auditioning. It does sound as though it is going to be spectacle people witnessed during the halcyon heydays of Boom Shaka:

“I’ve selected my dancers. I had the auditions the other day and got what I wanted. People must just wait and see. I don’t want to label myself an Afro-pop artist. There’re dance tracks in on there. This is the direction I wanted; I’m doing what I love best. I’m comfortable with what I’m doing for I grew up dancing. People forget that Junior and I were competing against Lebo and Thembi dancers when we met in Hillbrow to form Boom Shaka. The album is about love, pain and happiness. I sing about the daily experiences that ordinary people can relate to,” he reckons.

The dance quotient is healthily huge what with the club-oriented tracks such as Ng’khathele [I’m Tired]. In addition there are quasi-wedding rhythms that were fused into Afro-pop by Platform One early in the nineties and were later successfully used by Mafikizolo. In its scope and ambition the album is a surprise package in that Theo reveals an unexpectedly mature side that appeals more to mid- to late twenty-somethings. He completely dispenses with the teenybopper audience, showing an experience of lived life in his emotional outpourings. His desires betraying a grown man, though his boyish youth looks and fun-loving nature remain eternally young. It targets the feeling listener who may carefully slot his CD into his car stereo while on his way to a dance club.

Playlist: Sofa Slahlane, Ngiyakuthanda, Ng’kathele, Lalani Ngoxolo
Radio Suitability: All SABC ALS
Commercial Radio: Metro FM, Kaya FM, Igagasi FM & Y FM

For more info on booking and management issues, please contact:
George & Joseph Mothiba @ Four Sounds Productions
+27 82 965 5203
fsp@worldonline.co.za