Cape Town Gqom DJ and producer, Simphiwe Sihawu, 24, a.k.a Mr Thela, has signed a deal with the iconic Universal Music Group (UMG).
Born in Gugulethu and raised in Samora Machel in Philippi, the music maestro met with the label’s representatives at UMG headquarters in Johannesburg to announce his next move.
This comes months after the successful release of his critically-acclaimed independent solo album titled Tronics Land Series 2, which debuted at number four on Apple Music and number five on Spotify, with more than 4 million streams in less than a month.
Congratulatory messages have been flowing in on social media and a grateful Mr Thela says it was not been smooth sailing.
He shares: “I’m very excited about this new journey I’m about to take with Universal Music Group. I’ve had to navigate the industry with no knowledge but a pocket full of dreams.”
“My team and I have worked very hard to get this brand and vision to where it needs to be. Signing with Universal Music Group will elevate the brand more and the music will reach a wider and greater audience.”
Mr Thela burst on the music scene in 2020 at the peak of the Covid lockdown with his record-breaking hit Make Cape Town Great Again which was certified platinum and nominated for a SAMA in 2021 in the category Best Gqom Album.
He has since had many hits and has seen his music cross borders, performing in both the UK and Japan.
Speaking on behalf of Universal Music Group, Managing Director, Manusha Sarawan adds, “We are extremely delighted to have Mr Thela as part of our stable. The Gqom genre continues to have staying power and remains a part of our dance music culture.”
