Muzi says being a fixer for David Blaine in South Africa was ‘wild’

He’s collaborated with some of music’s biggest stars, played festivals around the world and Muzi’s growing musical clout, artistry and popularity keeps nudging his career to superstardom.

Never in his wildest dreams did he think that his career would take a quick segue as fixer and guide to David Blaine, illusionist and endurance artist extraordinaire.

One minute Muzi was in the recording studio, the next he was hanging out with Blaine as he prepared to hang out with a pit of black mambas. “I used to watch David Blaine on DSTV and on SABC3, back in the day,” Muzi said. “To have been part of something like this? Wild.”

Blaine’s new National Geographic series, David Blaine: Do Not Attempt, is six episodes of daredevil-meets-documentary that’s on National Geographic and Disney+.

Shot in places as far-flung as Brazil, Japan, the Arctic and, of course, South Africa, the show takes viewers into extreme rituals, physical endurance feats and near-supernatural moments of human ability. And in the South African episode, it’s Muzi’s hand on the wheel.

‘Being part of this was wild’

“The producers were fans of my music,” he said. “So, when they were planning to shoot here, we started talking. I ended up suggesting places they could film, and next thing, I’m part of the team.”

Muzi said his role was as a kind of cultural compass, helping guide the production team to locations and experiences that weren’t just visually powerful, but spiritually resonant. Think local (car) spinners, wild game reserves, and ceremonies that aren’t usually listed on TripAdvisor.

“They had their own fixers, but for a few of the locations, I got to be involved.”

While being credited as both fixer and featured artist might be a first, Muzi is no stranger to global crossover. The Empangeni-born producer, songwriter and performer has played festival stages across continents, spent two years apprenticing Berlin’s synth culture, and collaborated with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin three times.

“That was big for me,” he said. “We’ve done songs together, I’ve remixed for them, and we even won three Loeries last year for the Allan Gray ad that used our track.”

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Musically, Muzi shared his love of mashing up traditional Zulu spirituality with the high fidelity of electronic music.

“I hear visuals when I work,” he said. “It’s very much traditional ceremony, spiritual stuff but through a house and techno lens.”

In short, dance music with depth. Not designed for trends, instead, it’s setting them. “I’m from here. This is the sound from here. But it travels,” he said.

Sensory creative cues

His creative cues are often sensory, too. Muzi said he is a visual thinker.  

“Rain. A good film. A walk. I like being in the moment, paying attention to little things. I write it all down, even if it doesn’t make sense yet. Eventually it does.”

He records his music at home and then polishes it off at Flame Studios on Constitutional Hill. This is where he wrote the tracks that also made it to the soundtrack of Do Not Attempt.

“Once they were done filming, we asked about the soundtrack,” he said. “We sent over my whole catalogue, and they chose three tracks. So, I’m on the soundtrack too.”

As for Blaine, Muzi described him not as a magician, but as a master.

“He was so open to learning. No ego. Even when we were with black mambas and he had to lower his heart rate to avoid a bite, he did it. I got to see in real time what discipline looks like. I felt like I was in 50/50 or on Bear Grylls,” he said. “Except this time, it was real life. And I was part of it.”

Muzi’s currently in studio

Muzi is presently in the studio creating. “I feel like the material I am working on may result in an album,” he said.

He also has some dream collaborations he hopes to realise. “Missy Elliott. Always Missy. I am a huge fan. I’d love to work with Culoe De Song. And there are amazing artists across the continent. I just did something with Blinky Bill in Kenya. There are these Zawose Queens from Tanzania, Super Jazz Club in Ghana. There’s a lot happening in Africa and many artists I would like to work with.”

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