The Soil are currently on tour playing the new album.
The incomparable American poet and memoirist Maya Angelou learned during her 86 years of life that people forget what you did to them, but they never forget how you made them feel.
It's been seven years since the music group The Soil last released an album, and the reaction to their fourth studio album has been… Rethink Angelou’s wise words continue to resonate.
“I'd be lying if I didn't say I wasn't surprised by the response,” said Ntsika Nsanga, one of The Soil's founding members. The Citizen.
Homecoming
The trio are currently on tour performing the album in front of their fans, having recently performed at the Marcellus Theatre at Emperor's Palace and will be performing at the Soweto Theatre on Friday, August 23rd.
Soil entered the music industry in the 2010s as a fresh-sounding a cappella group, winning the hearts of many with songs like: joy, Banning and Parakeet.
The mere mention of the aforementioned song is enough to fill some in the audience with nostalgia.
They have given people these emotions through their music.
The group formed in the 2000s when its members were still students at Tetelo Secondary School, so performing in Soweto is significant for them.
“They know us and are the ones who saw us rehearsing after school during our Tetelo days. Family, parents and friends also come. Ticket sales are excellent,” said Ngusanga, who said she wished the capacity was increased like it was for Gkebela.
“But next year we're going to do something where we can perform for a few days.”
Related article: The Soil's new member, Theo Matsova, is a perfect fit for the a cappella group
Fan Appreciation
11 Tracks Rethink It was released in February this year and was played over 1 million times on Spotify shortly after its release.
“Right after that incident we announced a tour. We went to Cape Town, to Gqebela. In Gqebela the situation was even worse because we had to increase the capacity because of the number of people who had bought tickets,” Ngxang'a said.
A new member of the soil
Rethink This is the first album since Buhlebendalo Mda left the group, replacing her with Theo Matshoba, and the Soweto show will mark the first time she has performed with the group in Soweto, where she is also from.
“She's from Soweto and it's like introducing her to people who know her. This show is more sacred. It's amazing to think that this is where she grew up.”
Related article: “I want to reset, recharge and reflect” Nong Botha on leaving 702
In 2011, Matsova posted on social media that her favorite group, The Soil, was missing one thing: her.
Five years later, when Mda was taking a sabbatical from her a capella group, The Soil called for auditions and Matshoba applied and got the job. She excelled so much during that time that it was only natural that they would reach out to her when Mda wanted to leave the group for good.
audience
Ngusanga acknowledges there was some anxiety about how the market would react to new, but not too different, opinions within the group.
“I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried. [good] She was, but she was also anxious.”
“Some people will criticise because we are a conservative people,” Nsanga says of South African audiences.
“South Africans do not like change, but we thank you for believing in us, because we can assure you that this has always been the case. [with Matshoba] For years.”
Nsanga, who is the brother of The Soil founding member Findo, said Matsoba's smooth integration into the group was testament to the emotions their music evokes in its audiences.
“The soil is bigger than us, bigger than any individual. It's a relationship based on honesty and truth. The song still tells the story of how they [fans] I feel it every day.”
“In the age of social media, people easily forget or start following other groups, but they still remembered us. 18 years of activity shows what our fans and we have to give to each other.” The Soil will be one of the headliners at Swiss Music Festival in late October.
They also plan to travel to Morocco later this year.
Read now: Ntsika Ngxanga: Golden music for a generation
