Music producer, singer and songwriter Chicco Twala. Picture: X(Twitter)
In a major win for South African music, producer, singer and songwriter, Sello "Chicco" Twala, has secured a groundbreaking deal, which aims to elevate the country’s recording artists on the international stage.
Having started his music career at the age of 20 in 1982, Twala has long been a key figure in the industry over the decades.
He now sees his latest collaboration as a game-changer and the artist highlighted its uniqueness with “Tshisa Live”.
“Never before have American and South African music performers joined hands to form an organisation that would create opportunities for the young talented people of South Africa who have been struggling to penetrate the massive American market,” he told the publication.
The deal aims to challenge the dominance of Nigerian music in the US and Europe, a situation Twala cited as a major motivator for the new deal.
“The dominance of Nigerian music in the US and Europe is the reason I embarked on this journey,” he said.
“South Africa has the best dance music in all genres but we have not been able to penetrate those markets with our God-given talent in the way we should.”
According to “Tshisa Live”, the deal seeks to benefit 30,000 South African recording artists.
It comes after Twala met US-based company, Universal Royalty Exchange, in partnership with Imbokodo Collecting Society, to address matters related to royalties collected and the exposure of local artists in the global market.
This partnership is also an opportunity to fuse South African’s amapiano sounds with the US’s hip-hop rap music.
Universal Royalty Exchange executive director Bruce Miller, who is the brother of Grammy award winner Mary J Blige, and has worked with top musicians such as Jay Z and 50 Cent, added in a statement: “Our venture, which is the first collaboration of its nature, will leave a long-lasting legacy that will make South African music and dance a force to be reckoned with in the world.”
The Imbokodo and Universal Royalty Exchange is situated in New York City. Through this partnership, they are set to offer local musicians several services such as catalogue management, film and TV sync placements, bookings and a global streaming platform.
It is also expected to pave the way for South African artists to make significant strides in the global music industry.
As Twala put it: “The partnership with Universal Royalty Exchange will turn things around for South Africans as more South African musicians and dancers will make their mark in the US.”
Twala has became renowned for shaping the sounds of kwaito and mbaqanga. He first made waves with song like “Take Your Love and Go” and “I Get a Kick Out of You”.
In addition, his albums, “We Miss You” and “I Still Believe”, continue to enjoy enduring success.