Musician turns spotlight on U’hage

Tired of constantly having to knock on people’s doors and being rejected more than once, a struggling artist from KwaNobuhle decided to take matters into his own hands.

Kwaito musician Siyabulela Bolokoqoshe used the skills he learnt at a year-long internship with the public broadcaster, and his love for the camera, to turn the spotlight on Uitenhage by creating his own online channel.

Called U-Town TV, it creates a platform for emerging musicians in the area.

Bolokoqoshe said the goal was a YouTube channel, but because of easy access he was using Facebook for now.

“It’s all about creating a platform for artists who feel like they have nowhere to showcase their music or don’t have the means for airplay.

“I wanted a space where musicians have a platform to release their music and felt that this could be a space for these artists’ music to reach a lot of people,” Bolokoqoshe said.

U-Town TV’s most popular show is The Hot Seat, which features popular people from the garden town – socialites, business or influential people in the town.

“The Hot Seat thrives on controversy and spice.

“It’s all about numbers and the show is popular,” he said.

Season one had eight episodes and Boloqokoshe said it would have a season two.

He had already lined up people for the new season.

“We’re building a studio for the new season because in season one, we’d film guests in their backyards,” he said.

“We’re planning new visuals and it’s going to be interesting.”

Bolokoqoshe runs U-Town TV with scriptwriter Sivuyile Sinqe.

The creator behind U-Town TV said he had always wanted to be a musician and it was all he thought about growing up.

“I don’t know what sparked my love of music, but it’s all I ever thought of and the only thing on my mind,” he said.

Since it opened three months ago, U-Town TV has more than 3,000 likes on Facebook with the videos reaching a combined 11,000 views.