Mobi Dixon says family’s permission wasn’t a prerequisite
The premature release of a song involving the late house music vocalist Nichume Siwundla has rubbed her family up the wrong way – but her record label says no permission is
required from the family to release her music.
The song at the centre of the storm – Camagu – released by Top Chap Media and producer Mobi Dixon (Mabi Ntuli), is derived from a Xhosa term associated with ancestors.
Siwundla, popularly known for the song Bhutiza, allegedly threw herself off an apartment building of a close friend, Oros Mampofu, after she complained about having “serious problems” in June last year.
Speaking to Sunday World this week, Siwundla’s father Kwezilomso said that the family was not aware of the song and was still grieving.
“We didn’t give him permission to release the song with her vocals. We did have several discussions with him which were unsuccessful. From there on we decided to distance
ourselves from whatever he does,” said Kwezilomso.
It was previously reported that Siwundla had an ongoing legal battle with her record label prior to her death.
Kwezilomso said that the family was still grieving. “It’s like she is in Cape Town or something. It’s been six months now. It’s like a dream.”
Mobi Dixon said: “The song leaked around the time of Nichume’s passing and ended up on the internet. Since then we’ve had a huge public outcry for us to officially release the song.
We obviously couldn’t release it in 2019, as we had to come to terms with the loss.”
He confirmed the discussions with the Siwundla family but said “however, their approval was never a prerequisite for us to publish any content from the artist Nichume, which is
owned by Top Chap Media”.
He added that all the proceeds from the song would go into a “holding account and together with what we can raise will be donated towards depression and anxiety awareness and treatment”.
He told Sunday World that Siwundla’s family who are, according to him, beneficiaries of her publishing royalties, would get what was due to their deceased daughter.
By Nokuthula Zwane
Zwanen@sundayworld.co.za
Release of Nichume song rubs salt into the wound
