Award-winning singer, rapper and actor has spoken about how he used to disappoint his fans and missed paid gigs because of alcohol abuse. Sjava shared his experience with being an alcoholic during the launch of his new studio album Isibuko on Thursday. The album was released on Friday.
ALCOHOL ADDICTION
The Umama hitmaker who has been sober for more than eight years told ZiMoja that things were so bad that he would party until the following day which led to him missing on paid gigs and appearances. That, he says, nearly ruined his life and career because whenever he was drunk, he made bad choices. He added that with being an alcoholic, it was easy for him to attract the wrong crowds "I am not against booze, but it was bad for me. I made bad decisions when I was under the influence', he added.
A TURNING POINT
A turning point for Sjava, real name Jabulani Hadebe, was when he missed a varsity gig where students had paid to see him and he decided to get drunk and didn't show up." It's not nice when people pay to see you and you are a no show, I knew that day I had to do something about my drinking problem, but through music and people I worked with, I managed to stay off booze and ever since then it has been an amazing journey and I am grateful to the people I surround myself with,' he added. He says he is also grateful to his family for encouraging his journey on the journey to sobriety. "My family has been extremely supportive, and it makes me proud that I come this far', he added.
SOBRIETY
The Bergville-born singer has not touched the bottle since 2015. Sjava who turns 40 this year says approaching life sober has been the best decision he has ever made. Since he became sober, the Umama hitmaker has earned a BET Award for Best New International Act. He has also won the South African Music Awards gong, and a Metro FM Music Award. He has worked on the soundtrack of the film Black Panther with Kendrick Lamar. He featured on the tune Seasons by rappers Mozy and Reason. The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in February2019.
NEW MUSIC
He released an18-track studio album titled Isibuko following his successful EP Umsebenzi released in 2020. Isibuko is the Isizulu word for "mirror'. He says that the album exposes a deeply introspective side to him as he hopes to take the listener on a journey of bare and raw emotions. In Isibuko, Sjava shares his private thoughts and emotions that have been the soundtrack to his life over the last three years and touches on various aspects of his life as both a man and an artist. On the album Sjava develops his sound and experiments with slower, deeper lo-fi elements as well as rich, live instrumentation that gives the album both body and depth.
PEOPLE HE WORKED WITH
On production and instruments, he worked with his long-term producer and partner Ruff, Vuyo Manyike, who has also worked with Sjava since his debut album in 2016, as well as Delayde and Webmoms (UK, Umcebo). Featured artists include long-time ATM collaborators Emtee and Saudi, 1020 Cartel fam member Anzo and maskandi heavyweights Shwi, Mzukulu, Inkos'yamagcokama and Dumakahle. Sjava has also featured some leading ladies on the project in the form of the Afrotainment artist-duo the Qwabe Twins and the highly talented 'bubbling under' singer and songwriter Mzulu Phaqa.
The foundations of the album were laid at a two-week album retreat in February 2022 at AntbearLodge in the beautiful Okhahlamba mountains in northern KZN. It was here that Sjava, Ruff, Delayde, Webmoms and Vuyo Manyike spent day and night conceptualising the essence of the project and recording the initial music and vocals for the album. He described the idea for his album as music that one would listen to during their quiet moments alone, whether it be at home, in the car or on trips outside the city.
