Pamela Mtanga On Content Creation And Building A Lasting Brand

Pamela Mtanga / 26 / Multimedia Entrepreneur

Pamela in one sentence?

A multitalented girl from Port Elizabeth with an inevitably successful journey awaiting her.

               You label yourself a ‘Fashionable Multimedia Entrepreneur’, what does the title entail?

Stylishly infiltrating the stage, Television, social media and soon, radio.

What is your take on 2022 content creation in South Africa?

It is my favourite era! Landing up on a Television show that you used to watch when you were a child or seeing yourself on TV after creating social media videos warms my heart, especially seeing it happen for many creators. The unemployment rate is at an all-time high and I commend those who keep creating until they get a breakthrough, because seeking employment for long periods is heart wrenching. Over and above this, I am appreciating the amount of effort that creators are putting into their work. Content creation has been around long enough for us to actually start reinventing and finding new ways to market ourselves to our followers.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I would like to know myself! You wake up with plans to do nothing but exercise and run errands, then end up sleeping at 2AM due to a last minute client brief that needs to be out the next day, all this whilst packing to prepare to be in another city, so you sleep for an hour then tackle the next day, which could be filled with admin work and preparation for MCing at an event.

I am however taking a break from content creation for a bit so I can get back to having a strict routine like exercise, family time, coffee breaks and a balanced content schedule. I am also in the process of making structural changes to my team so I can have a helping hand to elevate the work off of my shoulders and deliver my best to client. 

Let’s talk Fashion, favourite designer/s? 

I am at a stage in my life where I am starting to take interest in designer items and anticipating what will bet first designer item. I recently wore a dress designed by Ryan Keys and that is easily the most expensive dress I have ever worn. The quality is immaculate and so was the service. I am a fan of MaXhosa as well. Internationally, Giuseppe Zanotti, Chanel and Carolina Herrera are sensational. 

What would you still like to add to your titles?

I would love to go back to radio, I believe the opportunity is yet to come.

Name a campaign you’ve absolutely loved working with to date?

It changes every month, I would say Adidas, Nedbank and Nivea have a special place in my heart. I am now working on a campaign with MiWay Blink which is completely different to what I normally create, yet I’m enjoying it. 

Behind the scenes, what do your followers not know about the process?

I think my followers are starting to get a glimpse of what happens in the background because I share as much as I can. My team and I create beautiful content pieces that come out perfectly but I try my best to share the “not-so-perfect” parts through my live videos or stories. This helps people understand the immense amount of work that goes into it, simultaneously helping other creators create realistic expectations for their work and less pressure.  

Create a lasting brand, what does that look like to you?

Creating a lasting brand speaks to a lot of things. Talent is the foundation but hard work, respect for your craft and clients, constantly reinventing yourself to adapt to changes within your industry and strategically placing your brand in relevant spaces keeps you versatile and relevant. 

Follow Pamela!

Instagram: @pamela_mtanga

Twitter: @pamela_mtanga

Facebook: @pamelamtnagasa

-Bridgette Makhela

Doowap & Tarryn On New Single Thunda Thighs, Collaborations And Performing

Khetsiwe “Doowap” Morgan / 30 / Live Mix DJ & Performer

Tarryn “TNT” Alberts / 29 / Artist, Dancer & Business Owner

You guys recently released a banger of an Amapiano song called ‘Thunda Thighs’, how did the concept come about?

Tarryn and I had been listening to a lot of Amapiano in 2019 and we started creating choreography routines to some of the tracks to perform during my DJ sets. Then end of 2019, Tarryn had the hook “Mmmm aaaahhh mmmm aaahhhh Thunda Thunda” stuck in her head and around that time we had just met the young producer DJ Nel (now going by the name DJ Nelcee) at one of our shows in Limpopo. I spoke to Nel and got him to send through some of his beats for us to vibe to. We both fell in love with the power and energy of the Thunda Thighs beat and we made the song that same day, all that was left was for it to be mixed and mastered.

How and when did you two start collaborating?

I have always admired Tarryn as a dancer, already back in 2014. Then in 2017 I asked her to help me out with creating a show and adding dance as a new element. Our first ever gig performing together was at Budweiser’s first show in South Africa. We then did Afropunk Jozi and Afropunk Brooklyn, New York together. The transition to making music together was a natural and gradual progression.

Music and Dance are what you guys represent on another level, what do you think the South African industry has done right when it comes to these two entities?

Music and dance is in South Africans’/Africans’ blood. We dance and sing when we happy or sad. There’s always been spaces and platforms for both crafts to shine. I will say though that dancers are not treated with the respect they deserve. The amount of hours they put in to help bring an artist’s show to life is immense. They are often overlooked in terms of budget and attention deserved, but still they deliver over and above to bring a show to life. We need more community centres in underdeveloped areas to give children and young adults an alternative to the harsh circumstances they grow up in. Tarryn started a dance centre called “So Dope”, where she teaches classes and is grooming the next generation of dancers. Hopefully we can have more mentors, leaders and spaces created to nurture and cultivate young talented individuals in all forms of artistry.

Where do you guys keep getting inspiration from?

We are both super inspired and motivated by our country and the driven youth that inhibit it. Connecting with young artists at all ours shows, spending time with like-minded creatives in Braamfontein and each city we visit sparks us and ignites our fire. Travelling is always the biggest inspiration, hopping on a plane and landing in a completely different country with their own culture and views is always a refreshing mind shift and opportunity to learn and engage with other parts of ourselves.

Travel is a major part of your lives, how do you plan your schedules around this?

The traveling is part of the work, I try and organize gigs at the places I would like to visit. Sometimes we are fortunate enough to get opportunities that fly us out of the country and give us time to explore it. Tarryn was fortunate enough to do multiple world tours with a well known group.

Once the lockdown’s done, where can fans look forward to seeing your performances?

Wow the future of music is so uncertain. We are not really thinking about shows at the moment as they keep getting cancelled, the main focus is to keep making music and to keep creating. We are also figuring out new and interesting ways of making money in this industry during this weird climate. If you would like to catch us doing our thing and shining then for now it seems it’s going to have to be virtually through Lives and social media.

Any music video for Thunda Thighs in the pipeline?

We would love a video for Thunda Thighs and have the treatment mapped out but the lockdown has put everything on hold. Hopefully something will come out soon.

The one thing you always do before a performance?

We always do warm ups, some abs and core workout, run through the choreography and stretch. The main thing is to loosen up and get our energy levels up.

Any exciting projects still to come from you two?

At the moment we are just focused on making the music video, keeping fit and finding the direction we want the music to go. We are grateful to have this chance to work on ourselves without the pressure of the outside world at the moment.

Advice for aspiring young females that look up to you?

Advice is do whatever you have to do to keep your star shining. Even if it means sometimes you have to be selfish with your time and the people you want to be around. Work on your passion daily, even on the days you are feeling off, just keep moving forward.

Follow Doowap & Tarryn!

Instagram: @djdoowap / @tarryn_tnt

Twitter: @DJ_Doowap

Facebook: @DjDoowap / @tarryntnt

 

-Bridgette Makhela 

Sazi Ngcobo On Rusco Experiential, Marketing And The Events Industry

Sazi Ngcobo / 32 / Director & Owner of Rusco Experiential

Being in the events industry, what the biggest challenge?

Currently, the biggest challenge for us is to simply stay afloat. Our industry is one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, meaning that for the next few months we have to operate differently as a company. This has resulted in the need for us to reduce overheads (without cutting people), implement new methods of delivering experiences whilst still trying to be innovative & creative.  This entire period has actually been as exciting as it has been stressful. However, take Covid-19 out the equation, and the biggest challenge we face on a day to day basis is managing client expectations with client budgets, whilst still striving to deliver high quality productions and experiences.

The hardest lesson you’ve learnt throughout your career?

Try as you might, you can’t please everyone, and you can’t always be the nice guy! I had to learn that the hard way, but in the end I find that people respect you more (especially your staff) if you tell it like it is when it’s in the name of reaching the high standards that we set for ourselves.

What makes you happy about the field you’re in?

So many things come to mind. If I was to highlight some, here’s top 3:

1: The fact that no two days are the same, every project/experience is different. One can never get bored when they are doing something new every day!

2: People! In this industry you work with and meet people from all different walks of life. From CEO’s to entry level creatives, from world renowned chefs to students who waitress part time. Each person has their own unique story and getting to hear so many is amazing!

3: I love that we get to give life to ideas! The process from concept to execution is extremely stressful and draining, but the feeling of standing back and watching people enjoy an experience that until then lived only in your mind is unfathomable! It’s like a drug!

What sets Rusco Experiential apart from other experiential companies?

Well the first and most obvious differentiator is experience. My partner started Rusco 14 years ago and has since worked on a multitude of events and productions. The reason why that’s so important is that with experience comes trust! Clients trust us to deliver at a high level largely because we’ve been doing it for so many years! A second differentiator for us is that we play in several different spaces simultaneously. We are in the hospitality game (we own and run Pegasus Lounge and the Durban July and Decadance Lounge at Delicious Festival), we are in the eventing game, however we produce events for our clients as opposed to doing our own event, we are also in the sponsorship game in that one of our strategic partners is Big Concerts. With all this, we still take pride in being very low-key and behind the scenes.

What do you think the South African events industry does well?

As far as event productions are concerned, it’s safe to say that although we don’t have the latest technologies and massive budgets seen around the world, we throw world class productions on a constant basis. I’m always proud to be South African when I go to experiences like Friends of Amstel, Castle Lite Unlocks or Rocking The Daisies. Our events, in particular our larger scale events, are on par with some of the best events around the world, and with more people supporting them, they can only get better. Who’s to say South Africa can’t be the destination for the next Coachella?!

The entertainment and events industry are close partners, how does marketing play an imperative part?

Coming from a background in marketing, I would say that to market yourself and your event well is vital (especially for a new event). I mean what’s the use of throwing a dope experience if there’s nobody there to experience it? With that said, we find ourselves working very closely with the entertainment industry. In fact I would go as far to say that we are the intermediary between the entertainment and corporate world.

Most prestigious event you’ve ever worked on?

That’s a tricky one. I would have to say that the most ‘prestigious’ event we did was the President’s Golf Day that we were blessed to be involved with in 2020 (before the Corona virus of course). However, from a personal point of view, I would have to say that the Miller Music Drop Experience we did in 2019 was the best event I worked on, simply because it was a personal project that I’d been trying to execute for about 2 years and Miller Genuine Draft actually gave us the chance to bring it to life.

Any regrets throughout your journey so far?

None! I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and that we learn a lot more from our mistakes than our successes.

Where can people get to know more about Rusco Experiential?

Shameless plug time, lol. You can find us on our website www.rusco.co.za. You’ll get to see a lot of what we actually do there. Alternatively, we are on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @RuscoExperiential.

 

Follow Sazi!

Instagram: @sazingcobo

Twitter: @Saz_SA

Facebook: @SazNgcobo

 

-Bridgette Makhela

Conté Creatives: Creative Content Producing Company

Conté Magazine seems like a really cool source of creative information, what is it all about?

The Conté creative portfolio is aimed at creative African individuals such as illustrators; fine artists; graphic designers; animators; architects; interior designers; poets; photographers and fashion designers. These creatives are given the opportunity to be featured in both digital and print spheres (Conté Digital and Conté Magazine).

Conté Digital is released monthly online, enabling artists to expand their reach to the international markets; those same artists are then allowed to fully exhibit their work in a themed print edition of the Conté Magazine.

Conté Magazine is a Quarterly Creative book that is accompanied by an exhibition event, where all the featured artists get the chance to have their work exhibited. Twice a year, creatives have a platform to have their work displayed and fully exhibited. This is the ultimate Conté vision.

How and when was Conté Magazine founded?

Conté Magazine is a company started under our holding company Conté Creatives. The agency, which was founded on the 6^th of November 2014. The first magazine was released on the 7^th of May 2015.

We previously worked at a Transmedia company situated in Auckland Park, and towards the end of our contract, instead of having it renewed, we chose to look for work spaces that would enable us to start our own projects. We found a place called JoziHub, a tech based Hub at 44 Stanley Avenue. This was the beginning of all our Conté adventures.

Is there a specific market you are aiming for/at?

Our Market is extremely vast. When we started our target with creatives all across the board. Weirdly enough, after the release of our 2^nd Issue, we realized that our market had changed. We were attracting more businesses, corporate individuals, art buyers and investors. With each issue we learn that our target keeps changing rapidly, which isn’t bad at all. As long as we bring more awareness to creatives all over Africa.

 What does the content you produce seek to fulfill?

The content we produce is aimed at driving collaboration among artists in order to turn the arts into a force to be reckoned with. We started a vision that would revolutionize the way people think of the creative industry internationally. It is more than just a creative portfolio, it allows the reader to be involved in the creative process, to make the transition from consumer and viewer to creator and enthusiast. We are all about changing the way we work together.

Your upcoming event in June, do elaborate as to what can be expected by attendees?

Each of our events bring a different element each time. Our magazines are themed each issue, and based on the theme, our events take on elements of that theme. This upcoming event, sponsored by the University of Johannesburg, will be based on the current theme “RAW” and the other exciting thing about this event is that it will be around the week of June 16 and we are trying to celebrate the creative students.

 What can readers expect in the next issue to be released?

This next issue is going to bring on a different aspect of things we see on a daily basis. This “RAW” issue is living up to it’s name…everything is going to be Raw, uncensored, unscripted. Whatever comes to your mind…we will be showing that off to the world…and the lovely thing about this issue, is that it is off to New York in July.

How was the feedback from your previous event, the Revolution issue launch?

Every launch we’ve had, has brought about more interest, more excitement, and more sponsors. And the Revolution issue was no different. We have received nothing but POSITIVE feedback throughout.

As a South African creative content producing company, what does a day in the office look like?

A day at the office is always exciting…we are all very busy, but the busyness isn’t overwhelming because we all get to do what we ABSOLUTELY love doing. We are all a fun bunch, so coming to work is always entertaining.

What is the way forward for Conté Magazine for the years to come?

Moving forward, Conté’s mission is to expand its leadership role in the creative market, using groundbreaking creative solutions and also expanding creative collaboration by using it’s publications. There is a lot to look forward to because more than anything we want to be the international voice for African Creatives and whatever we can do to make sure we are that, we will most definitely do.

Follow Conté Magazine!

Instagram: @contemagazine

Twitter: @ConteMagazine

Facebook: Conté Magazine

 

–Bridgette Makhela