LIMPOPO – Phalaborwa’s rising music star, Tetlego Monyela (17), has changed his life through an Instagram post. A post advertising auditions sparked his curiosity and set him on a journey that would eventually take him overseas.

“I came across an Instagram post with people my age on a big stage, and it said, “Audition for A Cappella Academy 2024 has opened. I was curious and checked their page. It was free to audition early, so I went for it, and I got accepted,” he explained.

The talented young vocalist is currently in the United States participating in the prestigious A Cappella Academy, a global music programme that brings together the best young singers from around the world. It selects vocalists aged 12 to 18 and focuses on training, fostering, and inspiring the next generation of singers.

Monyela, who is also a Gr 12 learner at Maphokwane High School in Mashishimale, left South Africa on Tuesday, July 1, and will spend a month at Whittier College in California, where the academy is hosted. This marks his second year in the programme, which runs annually. He initially left the previous year in July for the first programme, and came back to South Africa at the end of the month.

“It is just so amazing to see what God has done for me at such a young age. I love being here. The people are so loving and incredibly talented. I believe I can inspire other youth to pursue their dreams and grow their passion for music,” said Monyela.

The 17-year-old singer shared that the academy has not only enhanced his vocal abilities but also given him the confidence to embrace his uniqueness.

“It is not just about singing. We connect with people from different backgrounds, learn from professional music graduates, and grow together. This platform has helped me explore my voice to its full potential,” he said.

He also highlighted that he fell in love with singing when he was just three years old. His passion for music was ignited in preschool when he heard his teacher sing.

“I heard my teacher sing and just fell in love with it. I started practising and by the time I was nine, I had already sharpened my skills,” said Monyela.

His talent was recognised when he began singing in churches. Monyela is currently the choir conductor at Maphokwane High School and recently received an award for the best young district choir conductor at the South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod (SASCE) competitions.

Despite his musical talent, Monyela has always excelled academically too. He is a top-performing Gr 12 learner at his school, earning awards. He also represented his school at the Kingsley Spelling Bee Championships in Botswana.

“One of my biggest achievements is making history at my school. I have gone international three times now. I still want to pursue my dream of becoming a veterinarian,” he proudly stated.

As he continues his journey at the A Cappella Academy, Monyela said that he hopes to qualify as an alumnus and eventually apply to join the Creative Instructional Team (CIT).

“I want young people to know this: never let anyone downgrade your dream,” he said.

Furthermore, he mentioned that his parents, Jessica Morongwa Mashaphu and Sydeck Ngwako Monyela, are his biggest supporters.