Theo Matshoba's story is a testament to the power of social media and the unexpected opportunities that can arise from it.
In 2012, Matshoba tweeted about her love for the award-winning a cappella group, The Soil, and jokingly expressed her desire to join the band if they ever needed an additional member.
And her dream came true. A decade later, The Soil is set to release its fifth studio album, with Matshoba as their new vocalist, in October.
“At that time, I had known about The Soil for a couple of months and was obviously blown away from the first time I’d heard their music,” Matshoba said.
“That post was an appreciation of their music more than it was about me wanting to be a part of the group. Me saying they need one more member was genuinely a joke. But I’m glad the universe took it seriously.
“I never thought anyone would respond to my tweet, let alone make it come to life. I guess the universe really does listen to our hearts.”
Matshoba was announced as a new member of The Soil after Buhlebendalo Mda’s left the group to focus on her successful solo career and publishing company.
For Matshoba, the opportunity is a dream come true.
“I still can’t believe it,” she said.
“The reality kicked in when I was called in to start recording for the new album that’s coming up. And I think it really hit me when the statement was released publicly and I started receiving calls and messages from friends and family.
“I’ve always been a fan of The Soil, from back in 2012, and finally being a part of the group, which is something I had never imagined happening. And I am truly blessed and honoured for this opportunity.
“There are times when I thought I wanted to quit doing music because I felt like I was going nowhere with it, so being given this opportunity to share my gift with the world is truly amazing and makes me want to work hard and push myself to the limit.”
Matshoba’s journey with The Soil started in 2016 when she won the competition to temporarily replace Mda, who was taking time off to focus on her spiritual journey.
She said that being only 20 years old at the time and new to the music industry, as such, she had to contend with negative comments from some online audiences.
However, she also cherished the good moments and memories that came with the experience.
Matshoba acknowledged that change could be difficult for fan. She said she was committed to keeping the group’s legacy alive while also bringing her voice and talent to the table.
“I understand that many of The Soil’s fans are devastated about this news and this big change, but the show must go on. And yes, there will be doubts about me, it is expected but my main focus is to let the music do the talking.”
The Soil’s upcoming fifth studio album, set to be released in October, after a hiatus, promises exciting elements for the fans
“We’ve always known that our music heals and we all can’t shake the feeling that this new batch that we have been blessed to channel, has an extra layer of magic,” said brothers, Ntsika and Luphindo Ngxanga, in a joint statement.
“Over the years, we would approach the creative process with songs already written but not yet recorded but this time, we intentionally asked that we all draw inspiration from the different journeys that we all had during the group’s hiatus…
“What followed was an organic album that literally wrote itself with newly composed songs that represent where we all are spiritually at this very moment.”
Fans could expect a rich and diverse musical journey with the upcoming album, filled with growth, energy and collaborations that promised to leave “an everlasting imprint” on the world of music.
“We have an official song list of 10 tracks, we might even throw in the 11th song, together with a complete list of features, that will be shared on our social media platforms in the coming weeks, along with the album artwork.
“And we are elated to finally announce that the new album will drop this year, in October,” added Ntsika.