How Lira escaped an onslaught on her musical career
By Sbu Ngubane
New Afro-Soul sensation Lira has arrived and South African Afro-Soul fans dig her music. However, the music industry has not warmly welcomed this diva in the making in the form of a distributor whose inefficiency has deprived thousands of her fans of her album and caused her more financial damage than loyal service they are contracted to provide. In this exclusive interview she lets off the steam and says fame, among other things, has not gone into her head...This interview took place in 2003...
Lerato 'Lira' Molapo
How are you doing Lira?
I'm fine and you?
Kicking. Would you tell us briefly, like you would relate to a space alien from planet Jupiter who has never heard about you or your music who Lira is?
Lira is a female South African Afro-Soul artist from Daveyton, a township East of Johannesburg who found her way to 999 Music through Arthur Mafokate's sister Makoma, with whom I was studying at Vaal Technikon. I'm fun to be with without compromising my discreet personality.
So one would be forgiven for saying yours was a deal that came via some form of nepotism?
(laughs) Hell noooo, it wasn't. Through networking would perhaps be a much proper word. 999 is a very professional company. So like everyone else I went for auditions. After all, Mafokate's sister is no musical expert to have influenced my recording deal. All she did was introduce me to his brother Arthur and the rest, as they say, is history.
Who conducts auditions at 999, like in your case for example?
It was Arthur Mafokate.
As far as you are concerned, is the future of Afro-Soul really bright in South Africa?
I would say promising. People are reacting positively to this kind of music but most unfortunately for me my distributor; Gallo Music Company is not doing a perfect job in circulating my album. At times I take my CD's with me to sell them wherever I go. I've even resorted to displaying posters of my album at music shops myself.
This is sabotage. What are you going to do to mitigate this?
Arthur recently held a meeting with them about this matter and so far they haven't responded. As a result I’ve decided that I'm not going to do my second album with them as my distributor if this problem remains unresolved. As I speak all major retailers do not have my CDs; thanks to their ineffectiveness. It pains me when people meet me on the street and say they have looked all over for my CDs in vain.
This is bad news for your fans, not to mention your bank balance in terms of royalties from album sales
That’s why at a moment I'm concentrating on doing live shows to make a living, while my CDs are locked away from my fans who want to buy them by this distributor. This is a gross breach of a contract they signed with 999 Music, which is doing a sterling job marketing the album.
Credit must really go to 999 for your promotion in terms of radio and TV airplay. Tabloids on the other hand are having a field day with celebrities like you but one would say you have somehow managed to escape their roving eyes. What’s your secret?
I'm not a party animal. I only attend social functions when it is really necessary. Parties, social functions and up-market malls are tabloid hunting grounds and the more you stay home the less you become vulnerable to these gossip mongers. Therefore I'm very safe here in Daveyton and I'm not about to become an extrovert to give them headlines for all the wrong reasons.
How do you handle attention from neighbours who now see you from a celebrity angle, so to speak?
It is difficult to say because although I'm still staying in Daveyton; owing to my hectic schedule they don't see much of me lately. But to answer your question, fame hasn't changed my attitude a bit.
Who do you rate as the best Afro-Soul exponent in South Africa and why?
I respect everyone plying this genre but if I'm hard-pressed I would single out Loyiso Bala because he has been able to break into the international market with verve and ease.
As a female music icon or should I say a diva now, in terms of male gender dominance in the music industry, it is sometimes speculated that the only ticket to female stardom is through studio-couch auditions, if you know what I mean. What is your take on this subject? Generally speaking, can you confirm or deny these allegations?
Although I haven't been personally exposed to studio-couch auditions, I wouldn't say I haven't heard about them. In my personal view it is an obscene, degrading and unethical practice to hire people via bedroom door. I don’t care whether that is applied by a male to a female or vise versa, it’s just a despicable form of human resource management.
Thank you very much for your time Lira, keep up the good vibes.
Thank you very much
