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If you were looking to launch a spectacular music career the slums of Soweto aren't exactly Cape Canaveral. But little Mzambiya didn't choose Soweto, it chose him. Born and raised in its toughest corner he is, in his own words, a child with the gift of music. The music is Kwaito, a colourful kind of hybrid hip hop and after kicking down some doors, Mzambiya is becoming one of Kwaito's biggest stars. Sally Sara has our postcard.

Makeshift city

Sara: It's a makeshift city, a sprawling place of poverty and resilience. A place of patience. Those who fought the battles against apartheid here are still waiting for something better. Their sense of hope adds to Soweto's confusing atmosphere.

18:09

Growing up here is all about making do. It's a dusty, no frills childhood.

18:36

Music

Kids dancing

Sara: But this young Sowetan wants to rise above his circumstances. Thirteen year old Mzambiya takes any chance he can to rehearse his routine. It's the kind of dedication which has already made him a South African star.

18:55

Mzambiya performing

Music

Mzambiya: To be a star, you will never be a star like if you singing

19:10

Super:

Mzambiya

or you tell yourself, I'm going to be a star, you must learn, you know, that means you are not a star now and some of the people treat me as a star, you know. If you want to be a star you must learn and you must do your thing, not look something for each other. You must do your thing, your style, and they will great thing, make it a great thing.

19:21

Mzambiya recording

Music

19:45

Sara: Mzambiya has already released an album which has sold more than 80,000 copies in its first two months. It was produced by an independent label and has been played on top rating radio stations. It's quite a career beginning for an artist who hasn't even started high school yet.

19:51

Oscar and Mzambiya in studio

Oscar: So in order for that you must have a good performance, and we just going to feature that as well. But don't …

20:07

Sara: This young boy has determination which is almost unsettling. He was only ten years old when he started phoning producers in search of a recording deal.

20:13

Oscar

Super:

Oscar Mlangeni

Manager

Oscar: It was 1998, if I'm not mistaken, when I first him and then he used to phone me and said can you please give me a chance? And I then I was like, okay, I'll give you a chance and after that I'll just forget about him. But I mean last year, 1999, he was like really a big man, and then I said to myself, no, I mean I won't look any further. I must do something about this boy.

20:24

Mzambiya on Jam Alley

Music

Sara: Mzambiya got his first chance when he was invited to appear on a television talent show. The program, Jam Alley, is broadcast nationally in South Africa and is renowned for uncovering stars of the future.

Oscar: It was the first time, you know, when I see Mzambiya and that is why when I speak to my partner, Nimrod,

21:03

Oscar

because during the show, Nimrod was presenting the show, because I'm behind the scene most of the time, you know, but after the show I mean he came to me and he said, yes, did you see that boy? And I said, yeah man, and he said, no Oscar man, we must really do something. We must get together and find a way, you know.

21:15

Nimrod

Super:

Nimrod Nkosi

Manager

Nimrod: The same thing was going through the mind of people who were listening to Mozart at age five doing his thing, you know. It's amazement. It's got to be something that comes from God. He's got to be some genius of some sort.

21:40

Soweto shanties

Music

21:54

Sara: Mzambiya is part of a fresh movement in the South African music industry. It's called Kwaito. Kwaito songs are raucous, colourful and true to life. It's street music in street language.

22:07

Molakeng

Super:

Saint Molakeng

Music Critic

Molakeng: It's nice, I mean, to sing how you speak, and also it's freedom, you know. Somebody was saying because of the political freedom, we've got freedom to our languages, you know, so there's a freedom because when you look back generally all these years we are not singing our languages.

22:22

Sara: But now you are?

22:39

Molakeng: Now we are. It's, it's wonderful. It's intoxicating.

Kids dancing

Sara: Kwaito draws on American hip hop and local African rhythm. It's sung in township slang, but Mzambiya's managers hope that language won't fence in their young star.

22:46

Nimrod

Nimrod: South African music must not be limited to South Africa. It must not be strange when you listen to it or a white person listens to it. We listen to a lot of diverse music, like Aboriginal sounds from Australia, we listen to that, to the African sounds. You know we're not only, as contrary to popular belief, influenced by American hip hop as much. You know there's other influences which shows in Mzambiya's music.

22:57

Soweto shanties

Music

23:21

Sara: Much of the music comes from Mzambiya's surroundings. It's about the hardships, aspirations and scarce opportunities of the townships, confronting material for someone so young.

23:29

Oscar: I mean he's very young, but, you know, you know, he knows what's going around, you know, in his street, because I mean that area is very, very, very rough, you know. Sometimes, I mean, you'll find that the people are shooting each other or some people are stealing cars, you know, and he knows about all those things.

23:41

Zola

Sara: Mzambiya, tell me what's it like to live in Zola?

24:02

Mzambiya: To live in Zola is – I'm born here and I understand that Zola is my place and it's nice. Zola, it's a good place and you've got a vibe in Zola.

Sara: Mzambiya lives in one of the most dangerous parts of Soweto, a township called Zola. Zola has a hefty reputation for gangs and violent crime. It's the place which other Sowetans try to avoid.

Mzambiya's house

Mzambiya: Oh this is my house. I've been here for 13 years and with my mother, my father, my sister and my younger brother, there, you know, and this is my house. My mother is there, inside and my sister.

24:32

Mzambiya washing dishes

Sara: At home, Mzambiya is the dutiful son rather than the flashy pop star.

24:47

Mzambiya is level-headed, well-mannered and still with a trace of naivety.

Sara: Do you think that people are ready to listen to a 13 year old boy when he tells them what they should be doing?

25:04

Mzambiya: Yeah, they are ready to listen and it's amazing because ?? happening here and they must watch out for AIDS and they must not supposed to do the crime.

25:09

Mzambiya

Sara: Are you maybe too young to be talking about what life is all about or do you already know?

25:25

Mzambiya: Yeah, I'm too young to talk about it, but I like to tell them, yeah.

Sara: So you just do it anyway?

Mzambiya: Yes.

Sara: And you think they listen?

Mzambiya: Yeah.

Mzambiya in car

Sara: Take him out of Soweto and he soaks up his surroundings. He's confident that he can make it well beyond his township.

25:44

Mzambiya: I will be a big star like a president, to be famous.

25:53

Sara: How do you know that people mightn't say, oh, we've had enough, we're sick of his music?

Mzambiya: I don't know when they're going to say that or they never say that. They will always love me, I know.

26:06

Sara: How do you know they will always love you?

Mzambiya: I know.

Sara: How do you know?

Mzambiya: Because I'm a small child with the talent of music, you know.

26:18

Sara: So you don't have any worries about the future?

Mzambiya: No.

Mzambiya on stage

Cheering

Sara: Mzambiya is one of the youngest artists to reach the heights of the South African music charts. He and his troupe of dancers are now taking their show across the country.

26:43

Molakeng: It's symbolic, you know the way he sings so loud, you know. Now if you have been, you have had your voices stifled for a long time, when the time comes then you want to sing so loud which is why he sings so loud, so proudly. Some reckless pride, it's, it's amazing.

26:52

Music

Sara: The question now is how far can Mzambiya go. His mentors believe he has the talent and commitment to make it big.

Oscar

Oscar: I think he's going to be bigger than Michael Jackson, according to my view, actually in South Africa, you know, not internationally, but in South Africa he's going to be around, you know, because we've got plans for him.

27:24

Cheering

Sara: Mzambiya faces the challenge of establishing a career which will grow with him, a future which will stretch beyond Soweto and mature beyond child stardom.

27:45

Music

Credits:

Reporter: Sally Sara

Camera: Geoffrey Lye

Sound: Jun Matsuzono

Editor: Greg Field

Research: Candace Rivett-Carnac