Music
In Studio: Moonchild Sanelly
Ghetto funk superstar Moonchild Sanelly visited the studios to work on her latest EP. We caught up with her to find out what else she's been up to.
Moonchild Sanelly describes her bold style as ghetto funk, a combination of music, fashion and dance. Not holding back any punches, she tackles issues of female empowerment in her lyrics. Originally hailing from Port Elizabeth, the singer first made a name for herself in the Durban poetry and music scene before relocating to Johannesburg where she has continued to make her presence known. With her music reaching audiences beyond South Africa’s borders, she has played festivals such as SXSW in Houston, Texas and Primavera Sound in Barcelona. Fusing elements of experimental electronic, afro-punk and edgy-pop with hints of her strong kwaito, hip hop and jazz background, her sound and message is unique. We chatted to her about her childhood, starting singing, her Xhosa/English hybrid and what she’s been working on in studio.
Did you have a musical childhood? Were you surrounded by music?
Yes, I was. My brother was a hip hop producer, my mom comes from jazz singer, so when I was born she owned a jazz tavern. There was just jazz and hip hop that you could never escape. I’d spend weekends with my grandmother and my cousins used to be kwaito dancers so they were always rehearsing. So kwaito, jazz and hip hop are the three genres that I could never escape. Because I didn’t chase it, it was just there.
Moonchild Sanelly
© Jonathan Ferreira
When did you start singing?
I always sang. I hated choirs. I hated being invisible. I did choir, I went to one rehearsal because I knew there was a newspaper coming to the school and that was the end of it. After that I started doing my own gigs and my mom used to do the gigs for us. I used to form the group. I’d steal Spice Girl songs and melodies and get them singing, we called ourselves Babes Girls, meant absolutely nothing. My mom put me on stage from when I was six months. So I started in modelling and then I did ballroom and latin dancing.
You’re from Port Elizabeth but studied in Durban?
I studied fashion in Durban, spent six years there. When I moved there in 2005 first year, second year 2006 was the first time I was on stage. But I didn’t actually call myself a poet for a long time until seeing people react. Because I wasn’t like the typical style of rhyme schemes or slam poetry, I was just like in character. So doing it was it’s own thing. Was a genre of its own. Then people would literally just come around. That’s when I went to record it and went to poetry sessions. People would be like read us that sex poem of yours and I’d read it and more people would come. So that’s how I got to do Weekend’s on Gagasi FM. Poetry with King Siso. So I was a regular.
Moonchild Sanelly
© Jonathan Ferreira
You sing in a hybrid of Xhosa and English. How did you come up with that and does it help you express yourself in ways you couldn’t in either language?
It’s literally I write how I speak. I mix english and xhosa. Xhosa people will relate from whatever province. It’s literally the way I speak so I’m super expressive that way. There will be songs that are fully English that’s fine, but it doesn’t happen a lot because I generally mix when I speak. Even my team knows there are just words they know in general. They just have to go with it because it’s just how I speak.
Your music and your style is very bold and unashamedly sexy. Where did your style originate and do you ever feel the need to censor yourself for the sake of others?
I generally don’t censor. I’ll censor myself in an interview like if it’s station where I can’t say fuck. The radio stations that don’t need censorship are the best ones. To the point that there have been songs that haven’t been played in black stations because they understand the content. Cause when I’m saying cut this cake I’m saying you’re gonna cut this cake, I’m gonna bend over you’re gonna put it in don’t worry because I’m gonna handle you and I love riding dick. It’s like that. On 5FM it’ll be number 1 on Metro FM it will never show up because it’s too provocative for black South Africa. And I’m like I’m black South Africa right now and if you’re going to call me one of the influencers you should trust and believe that this is the shit. So I’m not going to be something I’m not or your idea of what it should be, because it is.
Moonchild Sanelly & Patty Monroe
© Jonathan Ferreira
What have you been working on in studio?
The EP is aimed at South Africa knowing this girl. I’ve done a couple of collaborations. The mission for this EP is me. So Patty Monroe is my girl. We’re in the same boat of difference. Not necessarily the same. That’s the thing of it now. The wave of these artists that are doing things we are like a wave of difference and we’re all different to each other. So it’s literally one of those things where I’m getting it in, Patty’s getting it in. There’s also this collaboration with this band called We Are Together. Joe from Fat Freddies Drop has a second band called We Are Together. We did the song with them. We already shot the video as well. They’re based in Japan. So it’s fucking awesome. I’m excited for that. Then there is this other producer I did like four songs with. It’s an EP. He’s a Swiss producer. So I’m probably going to push that in the soundcloud space. Then I’ve got The Kiffness, I’m on their album. And Original Swimming Party and now DJ C-Live. There’s a song that came out two weeks ago with Dj Tira, Dj Maphorisa and Busiswa, that’s also a completely different market for me. Maramza is of course standard. Rudeboys. I’m thinking I’m probably going to record the song because I have another Sketchy Beats so I’m probably going to record the song. Just wanna jam pack shit.
When do you want to release an album?
I have no idea. Probably next year. Because the songs are always there. I want to do the run with the EP because there’s literally about to be a wave of music that I’m going to be featured in. C-Live even said he needs a different Gqom song and I can make it different. So it’s just one of those things where I’m telling you know. These commercial people are definitely coming and even more are going to coming knocking wanting difference. Because I’m that girl. I hear my way.
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