It’s not often that boy bands stay together to last for 20 years.
Starting out in 1996 as the boy band called Shee Boom, members Ashraf, Siraaj, Ganodien and Tougeed built a solid reputation and toured South Africa and Spain with their music.
Now, all grown up and raising families, the band has resurfaced and changed up their tune from pop to faith-inspired music.
Originally from Hanover Park, Tougeed Holtman, 45, Siraaj Daniels, 48, Ashraf van wit, 46, and Ganodien Davids, 42, have now changed their name to Muhabbat which means “love”, and say it’s a bond that has kept them together.
Shee Boom released a couple of radio chart-toppers, and toured Spain as a tribute act for a few years.
They then gave music a break to get married, start families and work 9 to 5 jobs.
Two years ago they reunited after being asked to lend their talents to a radio commercial.
They then formed a nasheed group under the guidance of Tasleem Kariem.
Tougeed says they want to give hope and a positive message with their new music: “In June 2019, the band shifted focus and started doing faith-inspired music. The vocals were even better now than when we did commercial music.”
Their latest single is Children Cry and a line from the song goes: “You’ll see that how many young boys fall into the trap of gangsterism, a young boy just in his teens, never made it to 16, lived his life out on the wild side, life cut short, they found him on the roadside.
“Mother, Father help them, please keep them safe from harm, They’re our blessing from Allah, They need our protection, love and care.”
Tougeed wrote the song and says: “I came from being raised by a single mother and tried finding my own way, also living in Hanover Park.
“I’ve seen things that just didn’t click with me until I had my own kids. So it is inspired by real-life events.”
The song is available on all digital platforms.
venecia.america@inl.co.za