Master KG, Nomcebo reflect on ‘Jerusalema’ success

Mthethwa made the announced during a virtual meeting with Master KG, who is the producer of the song, and vocalist Nomcebo Zikode. 

Mthethwa said the pair have put the country on the map.

"You are going to be our ambassadors, there is a programme called cultural diplomacy programme. There we take artists from South Africa to whatever country for a period of time, showcasing our own creativity as South Africa.

"We call it ‘season’, so it would be South Africa's season in that country. And then we get artists of that country coming to South Africa and it would be that country's season in our country," said Mthethwa.

The minister said his department is proud of the duo's work and would like to help them achieve sustainable success.

The man behind the song, Kgaogelo Moagi - better known Master KG - said he is still astonished by the song’s global popularity. 

Master KG says the first week after he uploaded the video on YouTube, it only reached 1 million views. 

The video currently has over 50 million views.

"I made this beautiful beat and the beat was very spiritual and when I listened to it my sister Nomcebo came to mind and I thought I have to call her and work on it together.

"Because most of the time when you are making beats, you have to identify who can sing well on the beat, who can lay beautiful vocals so match well with the beat.

"I think I was lucky for thinking about my sister Nomcebo, and then we talked and she came to the studios and this beautiful just came.” 

Zikode said the song came as a blessing after spending 15 years in the music industry without a major breakthrough.

"My heart was not at peace, maybe that is why I came up with such lyrics because the song says 'my place is not here’.

 "So I was pleading with God to take to a beautiful place where there are no worries because inside me I was not at peace at because of my music nothing was going well for me," said Zikode.

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