DUBBED the Kwaito King of Bulawayo, Khuxxman (KXM) has released hit after hit and has remained relevant in the music scene in the City Of Kings ever since his first album MaAfrica in 2000 which received rave reviews.
Last year he released an eight-track album titled Vumelan’ Isangoma which confirmed him as one of the best musicians to come from Bulawayo. NewZimbabwe.com (NZ) recently sat down with the artiste and below is the excerpt of the interview.
NZ : Your Real Name? KXM: Joshua Khulekani Bethule
NZ: Age? KXM: 38 years-old
NZ: Home Town? KXM: Bulawayo
NZ: Current City? KXM: Bulawayo
NZ: Marital Status? KXM: Single
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NZ: Children? KXM: Three — two girls and a boy.
NZ: Schools attended? KXM: St Patrick’s Primary, Fusi Primary and Pumula High School.
NZ: Music Genre? KXM: Afro House and Afro pop
NZ: When did you first start singing? KXM: I do not even remember because I was very young
NZ: Did your family support your musical career when you started? KXM: Not at all. I had countless beatings from my father because of music. He wanted me to concentrate on schoolwork.
NZ: How do you start a typical day? KXM: I start by praying, doing a few press ups and then bathing.
NZ: Do you have a day job? KXM: Yes I do, I work for a Community Radio Station based in Bulawayo
NZ: Where do you see yourself in five years? KXM: I see myself being one of the top selling artists in the country and also get recognition in the whole of Africa.
NZ: How many albums have you released? KXM: Six so far.
NZ: As a musician based in Bulawayo, what is your take on the music industry in the city? KXM: The industry in Bulawayo is almost non-existent. There is no money to enable musicians to effectively carry out their works.
NZ: We have seen a lot of artistes from this region move to other cities to establish themselves, would you consider moving? KXM: Yes I would consider that because there is so little support from our own people. Music is a business so it’s only wise to be where the money is.
NZ: Who is your inspiration and why? KXM: I’m so much inspired by the legendary Lovemore Majaivana because his approach to music is so great. He is always true to his Ndebele roots, that’s probably one of the reasons why his music will never die.
NZ: Which Zimbabwean musician do you look up to? KXM: Oliver Mtukudzi
NZ: What’s your favourite musical instrument? KXM: Acoustic guitar.
NZ: What do you consider your greatest musical strength? KXM: My ability to fit into different styles.
NZ: Which song holds special memories for you, and why? KXM: Victims by Lucky Dube. This song always reminds me of my painful experience when I spent six months in a hospital bed in Jo’burg. I had a small portable radio by my bedside and this was one of my favourite songs.
NZ: Which international artist or group would you like to do a collaboration with? KXM: Busy Signal.
NZ: If you were 18 again, what would you do differently? KXM: I would definitely take my education more seriously than I did back then.
NZ: If your house was gutted by fire and you had time to save one item, what would that be? KXM: That would definitely be my “best friend” who happens to be my acoustic guitar.
NZ: If you had the power to change anything, what would you do? KXM: I would change some of our country’s laws, especially regarding rapists. I would introduce a heavier sentence against the perpetrators.
NZ: What’s your favourite cheesy saying? KXM: “Everything happens for a reason”
NZ: What would you do if today was your last day on earth? KXM: I would spend the day in church with my loved ones and then have my favourite drink.
— New Zimbabwe
Vumelan
