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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
IT seems Madlela Skhobokhobo will not be able to surpass the heights he scaled with Ngamnanka uSaMaMo with his latest album, Majazana.

The seven-track album was released last week as his second offering to his legions of fans with the same storytelling that he is known for. The tracks include Sibande (featuring Noble Charlie Nxumalo), Dawu the Band Anthem, Majazana, Ukufa the tribute, Sorry, Tryphine and Nathaniel.

When one listens to the album you hope to hear something close to the smash hit, Ngamnanka, but there is nothing like that. USaMamo was just perfect, it was at a level of its own.

Not to say that the whole album is a dud as there is nothing wrong with it. It has the same story telling music riding a rhumba beat.

Those who like being told stories like the great Marko Sibanda on a rhumba beat can listen to the album.

Majazana will grow on you over time if played on radio stations.

The underlying message in this album is Madlela’s experiences in South Africa and the rural areas.

Followers of the Madlela series will identify with the song Sibande which is about a character in the television programme.

Sibande is a typical person who comes from Zimbabwe and when they get to South Africa they change their names, their origins and also their accents. Madlela catches him out and the whole song is about him picking apart his story.

Hopefully, Madlela will break the target he set for himself for this album of selling 20 000 copies.

“It isn’t an easy thing to do. I’ll try my best to get to my target of 20 000. It’s all about a strategy that I’m using to get to that target and I hope it works out,” he said.

Madlela said so far he has sold over 1 500 copies of the album as people like it.

“People have received the album well. So far I have run out of the 1 500 copies that I had printed out. I’m going back to South Africa to print some more. I’ll just provide enough copies as the market needs,” said Madlela.