popular forShe is popularfor content creation and has now decided to venture into music. Social media influencer Senamile Mhlongo (19) recently released her single Ngithanda Wenawhich she features Sgabiso and Foliswa. Her love for Afro Pop Music and Maskandi is what pushed her to release music.
"Because of my background of living emakhaya (in the villages) where Maskandi music is popular. I fell in love with Afropop and Maskandi from a young age,' she tells ZiMoja. Soon, she will be releasing an EP dedicated to her family. "I am thanking the Mhlongo family for being supportive and understanding of the things I want to achieve in life. Other parents would never allow their kids to come to this city as it is full of sharks,' she adds.

GROWING HER BRAND

From the small town of Vuma in Eshowe, the North Coast of KwaZulu Natal (KZN) is now venturing into music. Senamile has a following of over 190 000 on Facebook and Instagram and has been living in Johannesburg with the hope of getting a break in the music industry since January this year.
"I have been dying to get my music career off the ground,' she says. "It has not been easy. I'm still young and strictly want to make it in this industry. But I'm grateful that along the way I met people who treated me like one of their own and helped to build the Senamile brand. If it wasn't for them, I could have packed my bags and moved back home to KZN,' she said.

NOT IN IT FOR FAME

Senamile is not in it for fame but to leave a legacy.
"I'm not at all in it for fame. I'm here to work,' she says.
" I'm here to build a legacy for myself and my family. I come from humble beginnings where I had to be strong and helped my mother to be able to raise me to be a better person.'
She is currently being managed by former SABC 1's Daily Thetha presenter KiniShandu who works closely with producer Mbzet.
"When I was back at home in KZN I pushed my brand and my music through a Facebook page that I created when I was still in high school. When I finished matric, I never looked back. I had a plan in place, and I had already started communicating with relevant people to help me establish myself as an artist and as an asocial media influencer, this played a big role in building my brand,' she adds. "Being an influencer was a big gamble. But it has truly benefitted me in helping build a name before I release any music.'