Sphum

Sphum or in full, Sphumlile Radebe hails from Pietermaritzburg, later moving to Johannesburg then Cape Town and back to Johannesburg while studying. Sphum was dancing from three and singing from four, showing she had a passion for music. From the tender age of 6 years, Sphum participated in the school choir while starting out as a budding ballerina. Destined to perform sphum began creating an identity around being ‘the singer’ at every school she landed at. Her leadership skills and soprano vocals’ meant leading the chamber choir was easy and brought out the true musician in her. Playing the piano was an added but shortlived benefit and singing became the shooting star she would follow.

Still in her childhood Sphum would mimic and almost compete with musicians that she idolised such as Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and Whitney Houston, locking herself in a room for hours, this would later influence her love for singing and writing. While in high-school Sphum earned half colours for drama and at this point her passion for music grew so strong that she knew that she wanted to be a musician as she had known all her life.

Having been acquaintances, the end of 2005 meant the beginning of the ultimate synergy when Sphum and classically brilliant producer Bongz , the son of the Late Brenda Fassie, began making music by chance; a combination to pull tears! Although After a year at wits doing a BA in international Relations and politics, Sphum realised her direction also lay in the fast paced advertising industry and in 2007 she enrolled at AAA to study Marketing & Advertising in Cape Town. This was to succeed in getting a degree to satisfy her quick witted creative need for expression. Just as luck would have it though, the music would need more attention.

Bongz, Sphum and a multitude of producers have built and created work so unique and are set to give the South African audience something to grab ahold of and hold onto. Having finally graduated from AAA in 2010 with a degree in marketing and advertising, Sphum is set to take control of the music scene and not let go! Sphum’s debut release is set to change the face of the industry and convert non believers instantly! Sphum is at her best in studio and she is determined to make sure her dreams become a reality. Her debut mixtape The Secret Garden speaks of relationships between lovers and friends and everything in between. It is a classic RnB album with a fusion of Hip Hop, dance, pop and belting soul featuring artists such as Maggz, Ruff X and Bongz himself. Her sound is edgy and current, representing the digital generation of today.

Her silky, sultry and melodic voice with hints of husky authenticity has left her audience begging for more during her four week promo ‘Secret Mondays’ which lead up to her mixtape release, coupled with her energetic stage presence having performed alongside acts such as Jozi, Bow wow, American Rapper Akeel from the world famous Group Jurassic 5 and pairing up on a track with Keith Murray on his visit to South Africa, this is only the beginning of a true RnB artist’s career.

Sphum sees music as her reason for being and believes to do it best she should do it like SHE knows, no imitations and no limits! This south African beauty is determined to make her own mark. Inspired by the love of music and her passion for the arts, Sphum is sure to make national and international waves!