Local trio aims to inspire up-and-coming artists
Ashely wants to study music management at Believers Care Society to further his knowledge in music.
Checkmate from Rosettenville will be dropping their new single next month titled Another Killer with the aim to inspire more up-and-coming artists in the South.
This new-age Afro-pop music group with a unique style of dance and music consists of three members: Ashley Mahlatsi, Sechaba Tsotetsi and Patrick Maphosa.
Ashley said they are a young and energetic group who started their journey as dancers for various artists like Professor, Winnie Khumalo and Zodwa Wabantu.
“We are known for our unique style of performance in the dance entertainment industry. Despite being known as dance artists, the group had ambitions to venture into music. We started with kwaito and hip-hop. However, with the advent of amapiano we find ourselves doing them. This is a new genre that has engulfed the youth of South Africa and we are not about to be left out.
“There are lots of avenues we want to venture into, especially helping up-and-coming artists in the South. As choreographers, we want to open a dance school where we will impart our skills to others. This industry needs to be taken seriously by up-and-coming artists if they want to succeed,” he said.
Although they started dancing in 2014 while they were called Rocafelas, their break came in 2017 after being selected as performers for Nigerian Afro-pop superstar Steven C’s music video.
After joining Cytoch Media, they saw an opportunity of taking their music even further. Cytoch Media took interest in their style of music and signed them under its record label and was renamed Checkmate, meaning ‘a final defeat’.
Checkmate has released two singles, Jump and Izifuba, after their previous released Mkhuzeni and Bula in 2017.
