Qophelo Mkhize

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Qophelo Malcolm Mkhize, better known as Mally Phoenix is a South African rapper, songwriter, record producer and audio engineer from Johannesburg , South Africa . MALLY (which is derived from his middle name - Malcolm) is an acronym for Make All Living Legends Yearn which he translates to surpassing your superiors (legends) and expectations set out. Phoenix is a mythological Greek bird that symbolizes resurgence & rebirth. Mally says “when you put MALLY & Phoenix together, you rise above all obstacles & expectations and you surpass all the living legends”.

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What is music to you? What does it give you?

Music is the remedy to a better world. Without sound , there would be no life . Without sound , there would be no music. Imagine a world like that?! As an artist , music is therapeutic to me (I know that phrase is often used but it's true). Music gives me the platform to say whatever is on my mind at the time over an x amount of mins over a beat / backing track (most of the time) and that's all I need

What is your music dream?

To change lives through my music. I want someone else to get the feeling of hope and grove whenever they listen to my music. That's usually the feeling I get when I listen to my favorite artists such as Drake, AKA etc. If you asked me this question 5 years ago , I would've said :"To become a Grammy award winning artist" but I've grown to realise that awards don't define your art. Yes , it would be lovely to be recognised for my music but there's more to music than winning awards. No disrespect intended to the Grammy's though

If you could change the world - what would you start with?

Ultimate peace. I feel like we need happiness in the world - there's too much negativity in the world right now.

Which is the most memorable song from your childhood?

Kanye West - Can't Tell Me Nothing

Who are your favorite musical artists or bands?

Artists - Lil Wayne , Drake , J.Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean, Kanye West, AKA, Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, Travis Scott, Sjava, Nasty C Bands - MGMT, Gorillaz

What inspires you to make music?

Emotions. I literally make music on just about how I'm feeling. Whether I'm happy, sad , frustrated, angry , insecure etc - I will put it on record. I don;t fear criticism on how I come across in the music. If a certain feeling is felt then I've accomplished my goal.

What is the message you want to send with your music?

To simply be fearless

How do you feel when you perform in front of an audience?

I feel on top of the world *laughs*. I feel so in power - something I don't usually feel when I'm offstage. I use that power in the most positive way possible though.

How do you see the musicians’ reality nowadays? What could be improved?

What I've realised nowadays is that people (including musicians) worry more about their social media life than their actual art - which is music. I think that social media has diverted the attention of many people. People are mostly concerned about how many followers an artist may have over another and do not pay attention to the actual deliverance of the music. I think that people should appreciate the music regardless of your plays or likes.

What do you think of Drooble?

Honestly , I have been as social enough as yet to make a judgement but I can say that I like the fact that it gives us (upcoming artists) a platform to express ourselves in more than one way - like this interview.

What frustrates you most as a musician?

Apart from writers/creative block - less appreciation . Things will change though :)

Do you support your local scene as a fan? How?

I do. I'm open to listening to as much music as possible especially upcoming ones because I'm in their shoes too. I'll be one of the first admit though that I don't do this as much as I'm supposed to be.

What qualities should a musician nowadays have in order to get their music heard by a larger audience?

-Quality music of course -Social Media presence. - A great relationship with your fanbase. -A team that will work with you - you can't do everything on your own -Consistency -Resilience -Dedication -Persistance -Humility -Patience - you should realise that some things will take more time than others.

Share some awesome artists that we’ve never heard of.

Someoneworthloving, Lightergod, Melo.G, Daniel Webster,THAT DJ,Niino,Zain2Faded, WayneHugo, DeeLish