Swazi Observer

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BROTHERS IN MUSIC & DANCE FIRE

By Nokwanda Sibandze | 2019-11-09

Adrenaline, dance moves on steroids and let us not forget fire, yes, you heard right fire. This you get in one go whenever the Shepard Brothers are on stage.

We sat down with the talented trio for a full interview to get to know and understand what they do differently.

Shepard Brothers is a performing and music producing group comprising a DJ, fire acrobat/performer and a percussionist. It was formed in late 2013, and started performing in 2014.

Their energy on stage is just as much off stage. Although they are a bit reserved and shy at times, but they really know their game.

“It has been a really good, enjoyable and educational journey. Performing in many different places has taught us a lot and we are grateful for very opportunity.”

“As a performing artist a lot of respect comes with being booked outside your country of origin, and it is then when you start getting gigs outside the country, that you are coming along just fine,” explains one of the group members.

The trio was very lucky to have performed in Sun Riders MCC hosted in Mbombela by the Sun Riders Bikers Club.

They describe this as nothing but a beautiful experience, a very special festival for them because it was their first ever event in South Africa.

Another huge highlight for them was performing at the Kurumani Charity Run hosted by Desperado Mzantsi Bikers Club.

With being an artist comes challenges, ones that are meant to build you up and grow your craft. Challenges are also familiar to the group as they said they have faced quite a few since they started out.

One of the most difficult challenge they had to confront was not getting more gigs outside Eswatini.

“We want to make our brand even big in other countries. We also want to get our music as far as outside Eswatini, but we only get a couple of invites a year. While that is great but we wish we could get more gigs so we continue to spread our music.”

They say they formed Shepard brothers even before it came to life and manifested. “We had to make it something that people had never seen before it had to be amazing and unique. So the moment we decided to form Shepard Brothers, we already knew it has to be something people have never seen. Something different and raw but most importantly something new,”said the member.

Forming such a group came as an inspiration from groups such as Uhuru, Black Motion, African Roots, later they noticed more groups like Bantwanas and Good Luck.

The groups they looked up to were doing the most doing the same thing just in different ways and in their own unique styles.

Igniting the fire further was a friend of theirs, Liliana Macedo. She used to stay in Eswatini before she relocated back home to Portugal and as the saying goes, the rest is history.

They have also been part of great hits and have worked with great music heads, including the amazing Velemseni.

Their careers pinnacled at the time of the release for ‘Gendza’. The single did well and it contributed very positively to the local house scene.

After the release of ‘Gendza’, every other thing the boys touched,turned gold. So for them that song will always be in their hearts as they felt it doors for them.

Their great moments are when they perform together and nail every event they grace.

“Our best moments have been traveling together to perform, performing together and coming off stage to say we nailed it. Making music together and performing for bigger crowds and big stages and seeing the crowd respond positively,” says one of the brothers with a smile on his face.

They admit that it was not always smiles, outfits and big performances as there were sometimes moments where they did not see eye-to-eye on the way foward regarding their music.

“Sharing bad times and good times is the very thing that keeps us strong. Just being together and sharing every moment we can possibly share is always great,” he said.

Asked how they managed to keep their dream alive and together over the years,” he said communication is always key among them.

Communication and being honest about the conflicts and disagreements helps them move forward swiftly.

If anyone is on the wrong, they say it the way it is but in a respectful way not to kill the vision and their individual talents.

As artists and great performers, their only wish is to become bigger and better in their field as well as learn and explore more.

Their wish is to give back to the community (social community responsibility). They also count collaborations with big deejays as among their future plans.

“Our bigger vision is to make Shepard Brothers one of the biggest performing and producing groups. We will also be doing lot of collabos with local Deejays,” closed the brothers.

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