Thandiswa speaks about shutting down shops with Oskido, freestyling Ingoma & more on #imbaliLIVE

Helen Herimbi presents: i(m)bali LIVE featuring Thandiswa Mazwai. In this new season premiere, the multi-genre South African icon speaks to the music journalist in front of a live audience. They discuss: Growing up eNdofaya (05:30) What books shaped her thinking as a kid (07:37) Forcing her friends to listen to her sing (09:50) Her first studio experience with friend and future broadcaster, Thabiso Sikwane (15:50) How kwaito informed her early years (18:35) Composing the lyrics to Jacknife's Fester (20:30) Heeding the call to become a musician (23:52) Meeting Don Laka at her Shell Road to Fame audition (27:30) Making Bongo Maffin's Summertime (30:40) Fighting for equal pay after joining Bongo Maffin (32:50) Meeting Miriam Makeba and altering her music journey (35:20) A record label exec suggesting she induce labour to go on tour (38:04) That moment she sat between Nelson Mandela and Michael Jackson for lunch (40:53) Chasing her late mother and finding a breakthrough (43:50) How she stepped in to raise her siblings after her mother passed (45:51) Making the decision to pursue a solo career (47:30) Meeting Sipho Sithole and his contribution to Zabalaza (49:14) What led to her writing Nizalwa Ngobani (50:25) Her reluctance to be called a brand (57:01) Feeling invisible to the world (1:00:34) How she freestyled the inception of Ingoma (1:04:13) Bra Hugh offering to have a solo on Ingoma (1:08:06) Busi Mhlongo feeling like a second mom to Thandiswa (1:10:15) Refusing to sing after Busi Mhlongo passed on and the depression that came with it (1:13:37) What the Belede album was initially called (1:18:50) Working on her memoir (1:23:30) Conquering shame (1:26:01) Her erotica album and collaborating with Meshell Ndegeocello (1:29:29) The Amandla Womxn Festival (1:30:30) Owning her uniqueness (1:37:40) Commercial viability and following your heart (1:39:04) How knowledge of self unlocks her creativity and if she'll ever be known as anything beyond a Xhosa woman (1:41:57) Filmed at the J&B Hive, Johannesburg. Shot and edited: Outre. Sound architect: Kitso Moremi. For more information on #imbaliLIVE or to find out how to attend, visit http://www.helenherimbi.co.za Follow Helen at   / uhelenh