QnA With..? Busa Nhlapo

She has a story too while she works daily to seek out undiscovered talent, those who are underrated and those who begin their play in the game around the country and in the rest of Africa. Busa Nhlapo can’t only just be the editor of BNR E-Mag. Who is Busa Nhlapo?

I'm a flower child who see's art on blank walls and love in the most dire of situations. I'm also a gifted singer and a fierce writer,,,add to that poster child for Dreams Do Come True and you've got me down to a tee.

Talking about being editor, it seems many people are looking to you. You’ve inspired many people in and out of the creative industry. What motivates you to create such a unique character?

But that's just the thing, there is no character. I live authentically and parts of that is to, in my own way, be there and really support the artist who is in business. I feel the entrepreneural society in SA has excluded artists in the movement of it all and well I'm not going to take that lying down. My soul won't let me.

How did you become an editor of this online magazine?

I've know P-kay (CEO of BNR Entertainment) for a few years now and when he and his partner decided to jump start a media division for the brand, I studied their efforts and then came up with an offer I made sure they couldn't refuse. I saw the greatness of the then weekly magazine early on, and I knew without a doubt that I wanted to be part of it. Prior to that I was in corporate for ten years, I did everything from reception to training co-ordinator.

Busa you’re also a musician; it’s a common question to ask every artist about when they started their music career and also who inspired him or her to be a musician?

Music and writing have always been my talent. I started singing at 5 and would even sing in taxi's full of people. I was born for this. Artists who've definitely been a catalyst in my vocal and song-writing skills are Mariah Carey and India Arie. I hardly listen to new music, I always go back to my forever faves which coincidentally are all of Mariah's early albums especially "Music Box" and ofcourse all of India's albums. Having a talent is a gift and a curse, it's beautiful to excel at something naturally but also you can't switch it off when you want. A talent is like having a child...you can't take the batteries out when you're tired or mad at it. It'll still demand your full attention. So this is for life.

Can you describe the shape of the local music industry? The international music industry has also found its future in a pinch. Sales are dropping and music piracy breeds its own challenges. What can you say about that?

Eish, I'm going to try and be diplomatic about this because being a musician in SA right now for me is political. I will say though that we are in a fantatstic place to receive and embrace great talents that are locally bred. I'm so tired of the lack of support RnB and Neo Soul have received from corporates in the past years. How the hell does RnB and Soul not have a thriving listenership in SA when it's all we mostly listen to every Sunday..and every other day infact on the other urban radio station? You can't even begin to say we don't have the talent. No. With that being said, we local RnB/Soul cats need to hustle just like - if not morethan - the hip hop cats. Our time is now. Regarding the sales dropping and piracy international artists are facing, it's tough. Piracy is the black sheep of the online family. The only way I see that not hurting them as much is if they intentionally grow their fanbases globally and try recoup some of the money lost with shows. Piracy breaks my heart man...

Brief us on your journey with Tigere Records and what lessons you learnt from your time with them.

When I got signed with Tigere Records I was still very green shem and I totally believed that all I needed was a record company to become a star. Needless to say, that didn't go as planned, but I learned valuable lessons from my time with the Tigere brothers, 1) You never need a record label. Ever. You can and should do it on your own. If not for the ability to control your creativity then for the valuable lessons, like negotiating your own business deals. 2) I don't want to be a star anymore. I want to be a working artist. One means you're in business while you're still popular, the other means you're in business for life. 3) :-D I can write the hell out of a song. I wrote more than 80% of the 'Around The World" album and it's still one of my proudest accomplishments.

Currently you are working on an album. Where do you get the strength to work on an album and to be an online magazine editor as well?

I really don't have the strength. It's a struggle to harmonise the two at the moment but like break ups, it'll get easier. I'm passionate and want both, so nje it'll just have to work. No prisoners. The other thing is that I'm working with producers and managers that give me 100% creative freedom. I have a say in everything that my name goes on, video's, sleeve design, singles, everything. That just makes me give it 100 perecent. I'm managed by Vault Entertainment right now and while we aren't dropping an album, you can look forward to singles dropping as soon as September and because BnrEmag is the bees knees, you can have the name of the first single: Le La Love - as in, ke go rata ka le la love :-)

Connect with Busa on:

https://www.facebook.com/hunter.nhlapo

@Busa_creates