Sinky Siwela, known as C’nky in the music world, is a musician with a big heart.
Born and bred in Stinkwater in Hammanskrall, C’nky has gone international with his music career but has not forgotten his roots. Moretele Times asked him if he does not feel that he ditched local fans by going international before he is well known locally. “My aim is to deliver a message to the human kind, whether it comes ithrough locall or international channels, the aim is to get the message out there,” he says humbly.
He grew up in the Evangelical Reformed Church Mission House and completed his matric at the local Bokamoso High School. Because there was always singing at the church, his uncles influenced him from following his choice to study sound or electrical engineering to follow music. He was however mostly inspired by his grandfather who was a flutist himself before becoming a pastor. C’nky was later to be groomed by the legendary Michael Masota who came to give lessons at Stinkwater.
C’nky accessed a sponsorship to attend classical music lessons at Wits University where he was tutored by principal flautist, Vanessa Van Der Berg. What C’nky learned at Wits, he brought home to the Stinkwater based Tsalapeng Music Initiative, where he is still Artistic and Educational Director.
He recorded his first album, dedicated to his grandfather, “Grandfather’s Peace,” six months after starting to play the flute in 2006. This was an experiential project undertaken without a budget but provided a lot of lessons. After that he got involved in developing the local artists until he was part of the Cafca Jazz band tour that went to the US in 2011. While there he managed to purchase recording equipment and was able to set up a recording studio at Stinkwater upon his return.
He recorded his second album, “Reminiscent of the Sound,” in 2013 which he released online and is played regularly on Motsweding FM. He did a lot of self-marketing for the album until he was registered with the recording company, Down To Earth Musik. This has seen him produce his third album, “Another Side of Me,” which is electro pop. “I called the album another side of me because I am basically a jazz and classical person,” he says. A single from the album, “Distant Cry,” is on I-tunes.
C’nky says he chose to market the album internationally because electro pop is popular abroad than it is locally. He considers his music career a calling and says it is not about being famous but about sending a message. His music talks about life, love and is aimed at sending a message to the world.
While he is getting international recognition, C’nky has not stopped his teachings, every weekend he is back home teaching at Tsalapeng Music Initiative. He recently took one of his students to attend a two weeks master classes in Belgium to amplify what he teaches them. “I want to take extra kids next April even though it is expensive, costing 500 Euros”.
To listen to “Distant Cry” click; https://itunes.apple.com/za/album/distant-cry-feat.-cnky-siwela/id997259287
