Thando is A Force to Be Reckoned With, As The Title of Her Debut Project Suggests
When we last spoke, South African singer Thando had just put out what would become the song that put her on the map. Titled “Weak” the song hit an all too familiar chord with people around the world and all eyes turned to an artist who was just getting started.
“I had no idea how people would respond to the song [weak] and things kind of just progressed from there. This has been a dream of mine for so long and it makes me really happy that my music can resonate with people”.
Fast forward to 3 months later, and the 20-year-old songstress is getting ready to present her debut project to the world. She previously highlighted how easy it was to make a single, and notes that attempting to create a cohesive body of work has proved more challenging: “I really didn't know what I was in for. I'm such a perfectionist which is a painful trait to have when you’re in the process of compiling an EP” she admits.
“I am South African at the start and end of it all-but my dreams for my music are so much bigger than my immediate surroundings.”
Thando breaks down the making of A Force to Be Reckoned With, shares her struggles with comparison and her plans for her career in music in our interview below.
This interview has been lightly edited for the purpose of clarity and context.
Jade Kelly: So we meet again, and so soon after you first introduced yourself to the world of music.
Thando: How crazy? I’m just happy to be here man.
When we last spoke, you mentioned how surprisingly easy it was to put together a single. Did this apply to the making of your debut project too?
I wish. The making of A Force to Be Reckoned With was very different to how I write singles. It was a struggle for me, because I knew that the project had to be absolutely perfect- it was really scary. Once I got into the flow-knowing what the first and last song would be, everything else had to fit in between.
Is there a reason you were pushing to have this out before the end of the year?
I am meant to return to London at the start if 2021 to finish my degree, so I definitely wanted to wrap up this EP before my departure. However, it’s not like I stopped making music just because the EP was done-I will continue to put new music out in the coming months, which I’m excited about.
How would you categorise the soundscape on this project?
A Force to Be Reckoned With is definitely not a body of work that can be confined to one genre. If I had to, I would say that it’s a mix of pop and r&b, with the tiniest bit of Afrobeats influence.
2020 has seen some pretty talented artists step onto the music scene-particularly for women across the continent. Do you find it annoying to be compared to these artists while simultaneously trying to figure out where you fit in?
Comparison is impossible to ignore, and I think it’s something every artist struggles with at some point. Right after I put out my first few singles, I was in a bit of a dark place because i just put so much pressure on myself-and a large part of that was the result of being compared to other artists. For my own sanity, I had to mute people on Twitter so I could focus on my individual way of creating and putting out music.
Talking about other artists-do you have your eye on anyone for a potential collab in the next few months?
I’ve been working together with some people and I can't share too much yet-but just know it’s gonna be good. As for a future collab with a local artist-I can’t wait to link up with Benzo to make some magic.
What do you see as you look towards the future of your career in music?
Let me start by saying that I am South African at the start and end of it all-but my dreams for my music are so much bigger than my immediate surroundings. I want to fill up arenas and stadiums.
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