I was minding my own business the other day when I stumbled upon KB Motsilanyane’s very first solo album, Beautiful Vibrations. A proper blast from the past, I thought. I was so thrilled that I did the honourable thing and played the album.
While KB pushed her stunning vocals to glorious heights in O a lla, I pulled out the yellow gold album sleeve and wondered what happened to this KB? The Backstage KB. The KB millions of South Africans fell in love with.
Everybody that knows me will tell you that I was once obsessed with KB. And I’m not talking about the usual stuff stans do, like owning every album and knowing all the lyrics to the songs. I was hard-core. I knew exactly which outfit accompanied which song whenever she performed live and could therefore tell you what she was going to sing just by looking at what she was wearing. I knew which version of choreography she was going to do for a particular song, depending on whether she was performing with a live band or using a backing track. I kept a flip file with newspaper clippings and magazine articles featuring KB. I had VHS cassettes with all her TV appearances, interviews and performances. I think I was a little bit crazy; but luck was also on my side because I’d go to a club or a wedding and bump into one of KB’s dancers or backing vocalists and boy would I quiz them like they were under cross examination. LOL!
Oh, but come on, who wasn’t obsessed with KB though? I mean after Beautiful Vibrations and Rock Lefatshe she hit us with el Musica and My Rhythm it was quite clear that she’s very talented. She had it all: sharp vocals, good music, a banging body and well-packaged live performances. To top it off, KB has always been a triple threat: she sings, dances and acts so well you wouldn’t be surprised to learn that she holds a National Diploma in Musical Theatre. In my eyes, KB, Lebo Mathosa and TK were reigning supreme and when TK and Lebo passed away, I thought it was now up to KB to show “up-and-coming” female singers how far they can take their solo careers in music.
Fast forward to 2016 (six studio albums later) and it hurts me to admit that I’m a bit frustrated because my grand vision of KB’s career in entertainment hasn’t materialised. Maybe I should blame myself for creating expectations from situations I have zero control over…
Still, it really broke my heart when I heard KB tell Xolani Gwala on 702 one Friday afternoon, last year, that she has been away for so long because she had decided to “quit music”. She explained: “In this country it doesn’t matter how hard you work. It’s not about that. It’s very difficult, especially being a woman…you know you’ve got other issues that you have to deal with…life issues…being a mom and those things.”
I understand showbiz is rough and that it’s not for the faint hearted. Also, that it’s harder to sell to music these days, but it’s such a sad state of affairs when talented people like KB retreat. Anyway, KB is slowly but surely making a comeback and seeing that she’s on the brink of her seventh studio album (and hopefully a live DVD), here’s what I think KB should do:
She should take a page out of Janet Jackson’s book and go back to the people who know how to bring out the best in her, musically. I’m talking about Terry Pinana and King Phatudi-Mphahlele aka Beatmaker. They’ll definitely bring back our KB!
By KG
@KayGeeLIFE