The listening session for the summer banger “Phuma Langa” by the Music Creatives Workshop was a great success at the Tfokomala Hotel and Conference Centre at the University of Mpumalanga, on Friday, October 3.

This song celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Mpumalanga Cultural Xperience (MPUCE).

It celebrates the province’s cultural diversity, vibrant music, rich heritage and tourism. The project was made possible by the Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation, the National Youth Development Agency and the City of Mbombela.

The Music Creatives Workshop, run by Redamancy Studios, the festival’s developmental arm, has played a key role in nurturing local talent over the years, launching the careers of artists such as Phumla Music, Mlingani and several others. The song was recorded at Dawsons Trout and Lodge in eManzana in August.

Redamancy Studios’ Zoe Matsebula-Mnguni said it was not an easy project. They had eight artists from different cultures and backgrounds who all sing various genres.

“We had to know how to put all those voices together into one song. We have rappers, poets and Afropop singers just to name a few.”
She said the song was mixed and mastered in Mpumalanga.

Launched in 2015 to promote social cohesion, tourism and the arts, MPUCE has grown into South Africa’s largest cultural festival. It features a street carnival, comedy shows, music festivals, workshops and a prestigious gospel music awards event, held across all districts of the province. This year, the festival will run from November 27 to December 7.