After having a massive break-out back up from SA House Music maestro, Black Coffee. Zano took over the airwaves and dancefloors around the country and beyond our borders with his single “Hello” in 2008. This was the beginning of an amazing journey for Zano who is a singer, songwriter, music producer, and Creative Director at Klean Kut Kreatives. This week ‘On The Spot Light’, we have a ‘one on one’ with the massively talented ‘Zano’ just to find out what he has been up to. This is our artist ‘On The Spot’ and we welcome you to it…
Sho!Mag: Thank you for taking time out to talk to us. The first question which jumps into mind at the mention of that name ‘Zano’ for me is, what is Zano’s real name and where is he from?
Zano: My real name is Thokozani Nzima all the way from eMbalenhle in the Mpumalanga Province. I was given the name Zano by the late Lebo Mathosa and Shota who I was signed to at that time.
Sho!Mag: For the benefit of those who not familiar with ‘Zano’. What do you do in the music industry? Are you a music producer, deejay or a vocalist and why did you choose to that?
Zano: I’m a singer, songwriter, and music producer who happens to also sing J. My passion is in more behind the scenes work although obviously that took more centre stage. I don’t think I chose these music fields, ‘I honestly think music chose me’. This is why I’ve always taken music as a calling.’Am only a messenger’.
Sho!Mag: Growing up, did you always have ambitions of being a musician? And why did you choose to be part of House Music?
Zano: I actually wanted to be a surgeon. Growing up in a black home where specific careers were pushed down our throats from a young age [e.g doctor, lawyer, teacher, policeman, etc]. I was channelled onto the medical path but ‘God had a different plan’. I was a late-music-bloomer. Only started taking it serious after I matriculated. I was introduced to House Music by ‘Shota and Black Coffee in 2004′ when I arrived in Pretoria to pursue studies in Jazz. The way they interpreted House Music was unlike anything I’d heard before and I immediately got hooked.
Sho!Mag: What would you list as your biggest break within the music industry and why?
Zano: Working with the late ‘Lebo Mathosa’, hands down! She was an institution. I got my foundation in the music industry through her teachings and observing her moves. She was incredible, a perfectionist, a beast with her craft. Everything else I’ve achieved so far came directly from my time with her as her backing vocalist, songwriter, producer, and vocal arranger.
Sho!Mag: Your biggest challenge in your musical journey. What would you say was your biggest challenge within the music industry and how did you conquer that challenge?
Zano: My biggest challenge was overcoming being naive about people in the entertainment industry. Everyone thinks they are in competition with each other and would do anything to squash the other guy or kick you out of the “race”. I conquered it by staying in my lane.
Sho!Mag: You are not stranger to making hits and that must take some inspiration to come up with such hits. What inspires you when you writing a song? Is the inspiration mostly the same for you?
Zano: I never set out to make a “hit”. Music is a message, I’m a vessel a messenger. My job is to take the message and deliver it the way I receive it in my spirit. I’m inspired by daily life, people’s struggles, politics, feminism, misogyny, love, hate – and everything in between – and my own personal struggles and triumphs. The inspiration never comes the same way but the result always has an impact.
Sho!Mag: I ask the previous question because you have another ‘Hit Single’ Out titled ‘Imizi’, how would you describe the sound within that ‘hit single’ and what inspired that sound?
Zano: “Imizi” would fall in the AfroHouse/ AfroSoul sub-genres. The song came from a joke I made when I was with my boys. I was observing just how people’s relationships are broken by people that they know very well – in this case friends and relatives. I then made a statement and said “Abangani babhidliz’imizi”. Later I was working on compositions in my studio and this phrase popped up and it gelled. Called up Mr Luu & Msk to contribute co-production and the rest is on the radio charts right now J
Sho!Mag: On ‘Imizi’ you worked with ‘Mr Luu And Msk’ who are not strangers to making hits as well. How was it like working with them?
Zano: I’ve known the boys for about 5yrs now and our working synergy is always on point. It really wasn’t rocket science to call them up for this song. Our previous songs are just as great. They really are an amazing duo!
Sho!Mag: Now that you have a ‘banging single’ out, can we expect a ‘Zano’ album to be out soon?
Zano: Was supposed to drop an album this October but decided to push it to March 2018. I really cannot afford to put out any sub-standard work at this point in my career so I wanted to invest more into this upcoming project. It’s gonna be an incredible work of art!
Get In-touch With Zano
FaceBook: @ZanoUrban
Twitter: @ZanoUrban
Instagram: @ZanoUrban
You Can Buy Zano’s Latest Single In The Following Stores
Deezer: Zano ft Mr Luu & Msk – Imizi
iTunes/Apple: Zano ft Mr Luu & Msk – Imizi
GooglePlay: Zano ft Mr Luu & Msk – Imizi
Zano appears courtesy of Klean Kut Kreatives
Images courtesy of Klean Kut Kreatives & Fresh Pictures Production