19/03/2025
Hi Everyone, It's taken a bit of time but I think I've found someone quite interesting to photograph and interview towards the series "Umphakatsi Eswatini" (still getting a feel for the name)
I recently found a local Blues musician known as King Don...
Q: Hi KingDon, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
A: My name is Donald Thobela, I was born in Eswatini on the 23rd of June in 1995. My mother is Swati and my father is South African.
Q: when did you start playing music?
A: I started playing music in 2010, I studied music the state theatre in Pretoria where i later taught despite having dropped out.
Q: What are your influences?
A: I decided to do blues mostly because it combines lots of different music styles, including jazz, rock and many more.
Q: what are some of your highs and lows in this industry?
A: Sometimes you spend a lot of time rehearsing and you've worked hard, you play at a place where they request a song and you give it your all and the crowd doesn't take you serious. Its depressing you know, you've practised and given them what they want... you just have to close your eyes and do it, you know in your heart you have worked hard to be wherever you arena sacrificed a lot of things.
Sometimes you won't get a gig for three months.
I was once on my way to a gig when my guitar was stolen at gun point in the taxi rank...what do you say to the organisers?
My highest high was when I started getting recognised by festivals, and owners who would say who is this guy, then I could see things were changing.
Q: Whats been the most challenging aspect about being a musician in Eswatini?
A: The most challenging things are that there are only a few places where we can perform, they under pay musicians, we are not funded by our arts and culture even to tour international stages. The reason why our music is of our quality is that we don't have good studios...if you are an artist you have to treat it like a hobby and have have a daily job in order to survive
Q: What advise can you give to other musicians trying to start out in Eswatini?
A: My advise to Swazi musicians is that they must get a job first before being a musician, its very tough out there. Perhaps move to South Africa or a country where you can live off of music, as long as you're still in Eswatini its a waste of time until we receive support from arts and culture.
Q: Where can we see you live next or purchase your music?
A: My music will be released soon as I am working with the South African Blues Association, you can also find it on Sound Cloud and Spotify. Ill be at the Mhlambanyatsi Country Club on the 28th of March.
KingDon's dream is to own a Jazz Box guitar, if anyone can help donate, crowdfund or perhaps come up with another idea as to how we can come together and make this happen, please get in touch with myself or Donald.
