Multitalented muso Coolpixie making waves with his single “Maleme”
Multi-talented creative Coolpixie, real name Thabo Makau, has come a long since his amateur music making days in 2009. The star has now released a top charting hit “Maleme” which landed at number #1 on the 5FM Top 5 Dance Chart.
“Maleme means tongues in the Sepedi language, and what the song expresses is how this particular girl has got me speaking in tongues every time this lady is around me. So it’s a love song that I believe can easily resonate with anyone since love is a universal language,” he said.
Speaking to us all the way from Mozambique, Coolpixie shares that although his name has now become synonymous with music off late, the road leading to this moment was filled with a lot of diversifying his craft – with photography making its entry in his life in the year 2013. His older sister brought with her a camera all the way from Pretoria to Limpopo and that sparked an interest in taking pictures. After landing his own gadget, realising the potential of that craft, he became the trendsetter in Modimolle, with many seeking his expertise.
“But even so, music was always calling me,” he said.
Moving to Pretoria after his matric year in 2015 to further his studies, but the move to the capital city afforded him many opportunities to further his love for music.
“My interest in this industry was sparked during my high-school days by entertainer Onitiaf Mphela, Kamo Mphela’s father, when he came with his team to our school to speak about filmmaking. But it was his versatility that has always pushed me to want to do more within my career,” he said.
After losing his mother and father in 2003 and 2006 respectively, he knew he needed to make his dreams come true in order to stand on his own two feet one day. His aunt, who took over as his legal guardian after his parent’s passed, was always supportive of his dreams. That support encouraged him to dip his fingers everywhere where he found interest including his music career that he says is only the beginning.
“I am really lucky to have her in my corner because she has allowed me to spread my wings. Now I am able to tour Mozambique because she nurtured my talent instead of dimming my light,” he said.
Back to the music, Coolpixie is ready to give Mzansi and the rest of the continent more music because he believes the foundational work has been completed.
“Maleme is the first song of mine that is being played on radio and for it to be doing so well speaks volumes of the amount of work I have been putting in. Before now, I had been submitting so many of my songs to various stations and for this one to land shows my growth. The other song that got some love was Focus, which was played on MTV base and I think Thobela FM but that song didn’t make huge moves like what Maleme is doing now. I am so proud of the strides that I have made in music and I believe that this is only the beginning.
“What led me here is hard work and the amount of dedication that I placed on my music and that is why I am sitting where I am today. It took understanding the industry and mastering my genre that has also helped me level up over the years. I am able to produce international music because I want to be classified as different. Music platforms are also on the lookout for different music to offer their listeners, that is why I chose not to follow the crowds but master my type of music,” he said.
“My music will always remain true to who I am and I know with the right amount of consistency I am yet to do more. Maleme is doing so well and I am grateful,” said the humble 27 year old.
Watch Maleme here: