Globally renowned a cappella group, The Soil, might have spent the past seven years away from the music scene but they promised their fans that they will return bigger and better than ever before.
“Our sound has become more intense, matured and even more spiritual,” the acclaimed music group told Independent Media.
“The context is one that speaks to all the lessons learned and life fully lived during our hiatus.”
Comprised of lead singer Ntsika Ngxanga, his brother and the group’s beatboxer Luphindo, and newest member, vocalist Theo Matshoba, The Soil’s comeback album is set to be released on February 23.
And as their latest and highly-awaited offering will showcase the group’s evolution and musical prowess, it is also expected to offer a fresh and innovative sound.
The Soil’s fans are delighted with their musical return and the group said that since they announced their new album, the response has been “beautifully overwhelming, given how long our family of supporters had to wait”.
“It feels like the first time we came into the scene, there is a surreal newness to this comeback that has got all of us beaming nonstop,” they added.
And while they were away for almost a decade, The Soil believe they have something unique to offer the music industry.
“Apart from that it’s a trio made up of just beautiful human beings, we also think it’s the relatability element that our music carries, the rich South African sounds of the past golden era that continue to fully influence our sound, and that when we create this music, we pour ourselves in entirety into it.”
The Soweto a cappella group was founded in 2003 after its group members finished school, and are renowned for their soulful hits, which include “Joy”, “Sunday” and “Baninzi”.
As fans fell in love with their sounds, the band’s eponymous debut LP “The Soil” went on to be certified platinum by the Recording Industry of South Africa.
They also won a South African Music Award for Best R&B, Soul and Reggae album, back in 2014 for their offering, “Reflections Live In Joburg”.
The Soil also received two Metro FM awards in 2015 for their Nostalgic Moments album.
But they were not without controversy, as their lead singer, Samthing Soweto, left the band over contractual disputes back in 2011. He has since embarked on a highly successful solo career, with hits like “Amagents”, “Akanamali” and “Hey Wena”.
But the singer-songwriter, whose real name is Samkelo Mdolombo, and The Soil, reunited for a special performance in 2022 at Bundu The Village in Cosmo City. Together they performed “Malibongwe”, a beloved gospel song which was a track from The Soil’s 2011 album.
Clips of this performance went viral on social media at the time, with fans becoming emotional about their reunion.
And while Mdolombo will not be returning to The Soil, the band have moved on without him, and with the addition of Matshoba, they once again plan to set the music scene alight.
Asked what fans can expect with their new album, The Soil said: “A detailed spiritual voyage through space and time”.
“Our music will be conversations around the importance of following your purpose, as well as beautiful stories of love and wedding celebrations.”
They added that it will also include sacred moments that read as a gathering (“umgidi”), and quiet moments that read as prayer.
The group have a spiritual approach to music.
“We’ve always coined our sound as Kasi soul music and in the greater scheme of things, it places itself as world music, which definitely speaks to the ethos of the music.
“From Soweto to the world, we can only attribute our music’s popularity to God’s grace and love and the constant guidance of our ancestors.”
Through their musical offerings, The Soil have an immense mission to accomplish. They added that their ultimate goal as a musical group, is “to heal the world with our music”.
In celebration of their return to music and the release of their upcoming album, the dynamic trio are set to embark on a nationwide tour, titled after their upcoming album.
“The Reimagined Tour” promises to be a journey filled with emotive performances, connecting the audience with the heart and soul of The Soil’s artistry.
The Soil will be performing live at the following venues:
March 9: Star Theatre in Cape Town.
April 27: State Theatre in Tshwane.
May 31: Boardwalk Hotel & Casino in Gqeberha
August 23: Soweto Theatre in Johannesburg.
October 26: Pacofs Theatre in Bloemfontein.
Tickets to the shows are available for purchase through Webtickets.