The internet has made it easy for talent to be recognized and turned into a massive success. We have seen this with the rise of Elsa Majimbo and Uncle Waffles. Our cover star Kamogelo “Kamo” Mphela is no exception. An extraordinary talent – dancer and Amapiano recording artist, Kamo first rose to prominence as a young nineteen year-old on a dance video that went viral and went on to change her life. 

We met for the first time at the photoshoot. We have previously said that famous people make me anxious especially when I have to host them. She arrives right on time with the biggest crew we have ever seen, her management which includes her father and her preferred glam squad. She is warm, kind and there is an innocence to her that I found refreshing. She gets her hair and makeup done and in between these exercises, she is engaged in a serious conversation about God, the afterlife and staying grounded, she is speaking to her manager Ntando Zikalala.

 This is Kamo’s first magazine cover and it is a big deal for all of us.

She’s this brilliant, self-aware young lady, who reminded me of myself at their age, brave yet afraid, ambitious, curious and driven. 

She says how she got famous was not planned, she is just a Kasi girl that loves dancing. She has always known she was very talented, she was the dancer for the family and friends from the age of four. She regards entertaining as her calling. 

The plan was always to be a global superstar and she is living the life she manifested. 

After that life changing moment, dancing video went viral, she was then featured on Sukendleleni by Jobe London and Mpho 69 and she has gone on released hits such as Amanikiniki, Nkulunkulu, Ghost, iPiano, Sbwl, Sandton and Hannah Montana among others. 

Kamo hasn’t had an easy rise to the top even though it may look otherwise when you watch her on social media and at her shows. She has been betrayed, been isolated and at times wanted to give up but she credits her parents for their affirmations and prayers that have kept her going. “My parents are my biggest supporters, my dad is my manager but my mom has played a big role in shaping me to become the person I am, strong, resilient and courageous…’ Kamo’s parents are not together anymore with her mom growing up living a rather impoverished life while her dad’s side was better off. The amount of love from both sides regardless of the resources remains a constant and her anchor.

She also could not wait to get her mother out of the township and give her the life she desired for her. She spent her weekends interchangeably with both parents.

Her mother was the first one to know of her performances and was her first big supporter who also served as a constant reminder of unwavering love. Her father caught on and was much stricter which also helped shape the brand in the way it has become. She is very close to both her parents.

She speaks about a lack of trust and that is fuelled by losses and betrayals in business and personal relationships. “It’s difficult for me to trust people, I am at a point where I don’t even have friends, if I want to go out, I have to think of who I can go with.” I probe further on this and she explains. “Sometimes it’s jealousy from peers, you must imagine, I am 23 years old and my peers are either at school or starting out while I have been blessed to work at the level I do and that is not an easy thing to process for some people. I cannot be friends with people who don’t wish me well or compete with me, we are all great and should trust that.” 

Does this mean she is not dating as well? “It is the same story, it is hard to trust people, you don’t know whose intentions are pure and until I meet that right person I will remain single”. Speaking of love, Kamo is open to meeting someone but she wants someone consistent, nurturing, caring and most importantly with leadership qualities.

She seems to rely heavily on prayer and the support of her loved ones when going through tough times. “I read my bible, I pray and that is something both my parents have taught me and now as I get older I find meaning and solace in knowing that there is a power greater than me.”

Kamo has performed at various stages around the world but Paris and Amsterdam have her heart. She describes her experiences as the most delightful. 

Kamo has created a very strong brand, from her performance, her curated set looks, the visuals on her social media platforms and her work ethic is even better. She tells me about her post-entertainment or post-performance retirement plan as venturing into business. At 23 she already has a mapped out plan of what the next step in her career will look like.  She believes that there is more she wants to achieve and music is not even half of it.

She has aspirations of getting into fashion, opening a dance studio and various other lifestyle brands.

It is not difficult for her to find time to herself but she does not socialise. She suffers from major social anxiety. “You are young and vulnerable, and people can take advantage of that. Initially, people may have good intentions but they change and I have been burnt so many times. I am in a good place now but it sucks that I don’t have friends to go on vacations with.” 

Heavily influenced by South Africa’s finest superstars Brenda Fassie and Lebo Mathosa, Kamo is currently feeling uninspired, bored and anxious for the next thing. This is something she mentioned at the shoot as well and I thought it was just a fleeting emotion. It is easy to feel this way as all artists and creatives are currently doing pretty much the same thing. To find joy in the lull and dull of the now, Kamo enjoys spending time away in Cape Town where she tends to her inner child by being carefree and doing things she wouldn’t necessarily do in Johannesburg. 

Kamo is one of the most booked artists in South Africa and she is grounded for her level of success. Life has changed for Kamo even though she’s still a child at home. Her family is proud of her, her siblings are even prouder. 

Working her father comes with its own challenges and she has had to find her own voice and be able to articulate her discomforts and concerns in a manner that is still respectful. “It can be challenging because I cannot scream and yell and also because I cannot fire my dad. I have learned to communicate better and he also communicates well with respect for me as his daughter and also as a colleague.”

We have witnessed the dark side of mental illness in the entertainment industry and that is something still not widely spoken about. I ask her about how she looks after herself. She has been to therapy and has learned the necessary tools to cope even though she understands that there is still a lot for her to learn. She journals and prays and she also knows what her triggers are. She seems solely reliant on her faith more than anything, she has fears that most people in her position and age have, fear to fail, betrayal, heartache and not being good enough and she has learned the art of complete surrender to her Higher Power. 

Her biggest heartbreak has been losing people she truly loved, friends, business associates, people she thought she would know for a lifetime. She has had to mourn those losses and dust herself off and move forward with the people in her life.

One of the biggest challenges for Kamo is growing up in the public eye with fans attached to a version of her that she isn’t anymore. “I am growing up and people need to allow me to grow and evolve. I am no longer nineteen, my body will change, my life choices will change, expecting me to be a certain way because that’s how I broke into the scene is limiting.”

Some of her career highlights include being included in the Black Panther 2 soundtrack as well as her first performance in London. “My London performance stands out for me because of what I went through leading up to that show.” She also beams with pride reflecting on her journey with its many upside downs – the downs which the public may not know much of but which almost made her give up. She is empowered and in charge, she exudes a confidence of someone that has lived far longer than she has. 

She would love to work with Uncle Waffles, Arya Star, Doja Cat, Durban Gogo and Chloe Bailey. She would also love to work with Drake and Black Coffee.

She is exploring a new phase of her career, something she calls a rebirth. She wants more, hungry for more and wants to take on the world, perform at bigger stages. 

Asked what makes her happier, she says love and peace and she is currently in a much better, more peaceful place. “Before, I would buy luxury items to fill a void and give myself temporary happiness, I have outgrown that and I just want to find peace within myself and I have found it.”  

She finds it difficult to deal with losses even though she is aware that life comes with wins and losses, she hates losing. She commends her team and family for stepping in when she feels like she is losing.

Kamo speaks frankly about her refusal to engage in negativity on social media and would rather focus on her calling, her purpose; entertaining. The world is indeed her oyster.

CREDITS:

Cover star: Kamo Mphela

Cover story: Bonnie Meslane

Editor-in-Chief & Producer: Bonnie Meslane

Photographer: Austin Malema of RTC Studios

Creative Direction: Lesego Kgosimolao

Makeup: Josephine Ajike

Hair: Lazola – @theroyalkindness

Styling: Advice by KgosiLesego:

Stylist: Mapule

Wardrobe assistant: Bongiwe Masina

Photographer: austin Malema of @_rtcstudio

Lighting: @_nkateko_masinga 

Assistant: @tshepozitha

Digi:  @kingHenry_iiv

Retouch: @topsretoucher

Graphic designer: Herbert Chaunzwa

Studio: NewKatz Studio

Big thank you thank you to Mr Jermaine Craig and the team at the Turffontein Racecourse for the location shoot.