From the  streets of Govan Mbeki township in Nelson Mandela Bay comes a rare musical gem, Amanda Faku, who is  making waves on national radio stations with her debut single Ndikethe Wena.
The former Khumbulani High School matriculant  secured a record deal with Vth Season in March.
The star, who now goes by the name of Ami, said it was a privilege  to be signed by Vth Season.
The opportunity followed after her stint on talent shows The Voice SA in 2017, when she made it as far as top 16.
“Being on The Voice opened many doors for me; it is through networking there that I met producer 37MPH, who introduced me to the Vth Season team, which later approached me to do the vocals on Eternal Africa’s Maradona – the SA cover version,” she said.
Currently Faku is juggling  being a second-year accounting student at NMU and  her blooming music career. “Music is something I have always loved and studying accounting is something I am doing to continue doing what I love, so there is a balance.
As soon as she signed the record deal, she could not wait to  to start recording, Faku said. “When I heard the beat, I knew what lyrics would work and that’s when Ndikethe Wena was born.”The Afro-pop single, released last Friday,is about loving one’s partner fully. 
“People in relationships often have trust issues or something else weighing down the relationship but it is okay to be vulnerable and love fully.
“This is the first of many singles I plan to release before I do an entire album,” Faku said.
Ndikethe Wena is available on various digital platforms.