Prison warder lives out her singing dream
Born with an amazing natural singing talent, Boksburg prison warder Qhamisa Mpayipheli said she feels really blessed to be a part of the music industry.
She recently released her first gospel album, titled “Simbiza Ngamagama”.
Qhamisa has been on the music scene for a couple of years, and claims she is a determined, hard-working woman with a lovely circle of friends, who are also in the music industry.
“I was very young when singing intrigued me. In fact, I began singing from an early age, singing in the school choir as well as church choir,” said Qhamisa.
Qhamisa always knew she wanted to be a songwriter and a singer. When she was a child, she used to emulate singers to help develop her ”natural talent”.
She always told herself that she wouldn’t be one of those people who had a dream and never followed it.
“I have been true to my calling as a singer and songwriter, and I feel very proud of it,” she said.
Her career took off when she began composing songs for a number of well-known South African artists, before she picked up the mike and started singing professionally.
“With me songs came on their own — it’s not something that I could force. The songs just started coming to me and I had to write them down,” she said.
Qhamisa composed the hit song “Nyange lemihla” for Bethusile Mcinga, who recently won the best new comer and song of the year award at the SABC Crown Gospel Awards.
She also composed ”UJehovah angeke avume” for Nosipho Daniels, whose title album is named after the song Qhamisa composed.
“UJehovah angeke avume” has also received nominations at the Cape Town Gospel Awards.
On top of that, she has worked as a backing vocalist for a popular Eastern Cape Province gospel singer affectionately known as Lusanda Mcinga.
Although she writes songs for different musical genres, the warder started off recording her album in praise of God.
Her debut album is a 12-track-CD, produced by internationally acclaimed decorated producer Sizwe Zako, who introduced and produced the queen of gospel, Rebecca Malope.
Qhamisa appeals to her fans to refrain from buying pirated CD, but to buy original music.
Her favourite song is ”Ngisebenzile Mama” by Maskandi singer Mphatheni Khumalo, affectionately known as Mfaz’ Omnyama.
“Gospel singers are all the biggest influence on me, musically. They have always inspired me,.”
Qhamisa’s friend Nhlanhla John Lata, who is an multi-talented artists, described Qhamisa as an outstanding and remarkable South African singer and songwriter.
