South African singer MaWhoo may be enjoying one of the biggest periods of her career, but behind the glamorous image, hit records and international bookings is an artist who says she has become increasingly serious about protecting the business behind her music.
Speaking to TheJournalistDJ.com during an interview at Africori Studios, MaWhoo opened up about independence, contracts, her collaborations, being comfortable with her image and the responsibility that comes with becoming an artist people look up to.
“I believe in paperwork”
One of the clearest messages from MaWhoo was that success in music cannot only be about recording great songs.
Discussing her collaborations and the business arrangements surrounding her music, the singer stressed the importance of having agreements in place before records are commercially released.
“I believe in paperwork, guys. I believe in paperwork,” she said.
For MaWhoo, that means understanding percentages, contracts and master rights rather than simply contributing vocals and hoping everything works itself out later.
“I protect myself as I protect my brand,”
she said, adding that artists can be taken advantage of when the business side of collaborations is not properly handled.
While she does not necessarily insist that contracts be completed before entering the studio, she believes the paperwork should be sorted out before a song is released.
Independence has changed the way MaWhoo approaches business
MaWhoo also proudly described herself as an independent artist, explaining that the money generated through her work comes directly to her.
That independence has become particularly significant as her career expands outside South Africa.
The singer revealed that she can receive several international bookings within a month, meaning dealing with foreign payments and forex has become a normal part of operating her career.
Her comments offered a glimpse into a part of an artist’s career audiences rarely see: the administration, banking, contracts and international payments sitting behind the performances and streaming numbers.
For MaWhoo, independence appears to mean having greater control, but also taking greater responsibility for the business attached to her name.
MaWhoo on Jazzworx: “I didn’t know them at all”
MaWhoo also reflected on working with Jazzworx, revealing that she initially didn’t even know who they were when she was approached to collaborate.
It was only after speaking to her sister and hearing more about their music that things began to click.
Despite that unfamiliar beginning, the collaboration ultimately became part of another successful chapter in her career.
The experience also highlights MaWhoo’s willingness to work beyond familiar circles as South African dance music continues to evolve through sounds such as 3-Step.
She refuses to change herself to match her music
While MaWhoo’s voice has become synonymous with soulful and emotionally rich music, her glamorous fashion and social-media presence have sometimes created a contrast between how she looks and how some listeners expect an artist making her kind of music to present herself.
MaWhoo has no interest in changing that.
“Just be yourself,” she said.
The singer explained that she enjoys experimenting with different looks and does not believe her appearance should be dictated by the music she makes.
“Sometimes plain nude. Sometimes a bikini. Sometimes I wanna wear heels and a jean,” she explained.
For MaWhoo, forcing herself into a particular image simply because she performs a particular style of music would amount to “faking yourself” and “faking your lifestyle.”
Instead, she wants the freedom to be glamorous one day, understated the next and something completely different after that.
“Music is a calling”
That confidence has developed alongside the knowledge that other people are increasingly looking up to her.
Asked how she feels about being admired by fans, and even referenced by other artists, MaWhoo said she embraces the attention.
“I want more of it,” she joked.
But beneath the playful answer was a more serious observation.
“When people look up to you, it means there’s something about you,” she said.
MaWhoo believes music itself is a calling and remembers having to learn how the recording process worked by watching those who came before her.
For her, becoming an inspiration to somebody else is therefore part of the same cycle.
A song she doubted became one of the records fans loved most
Despite her growing catalogue of successful records, MaWhoo admitted that she cannot always predict which songs will connect with audiences.
She told TheJournalistDJ.com that there have been songs she wasn’t convinced would work, only for listeners to turn them into major records.
She pointed to one of her releases as an example, saying she initially had doubts about the song before its performance changed her own relationship with it.
According to MaWhoo, the track has since accumulated hundreds of millions of streams or views across platforms.
It is the response from her listeners, she said, that ultimately made her “love it the most.”
MaWhoo has love for Tyla — but her own calendar is packed
The conversation also turned to fellow South African star Tyla.
Asked whether fans could potentially see MaWhoo travelling or touring with the Grammy-winning singer, MaWhoo said she would be open to the opportunity, although finding the time could be the challenge.
“I would love to, but I’m very, very busy,” she said.
Between gigs, recording and working on her own event scheduled for 28 November, MaWhoo said her calendar is already packed.
Still, she made her feelings about Tyla clear.
“She’s my favourite girl,” MaWhoo said. “I love her.”
She also praised Tyla’s personality, suggesting that despite reaching international superstar status, she has remained approachable and without the kind of pride sometimes associated with major artists.
Recognition at Africori is another reminder of how far she has come
Perhaps one of the quieter but more telling moments of the conversation came from the location itself.
During the interview at Africori Studios, MaWhoo was surrounded by a visible reminder of her growing stature: a portrait of herself displayed at the company’s offices.
She recalled her reaction the first time she saw it.
“Wow, this is amazing,” she remembered thinking.
For an artist whose career now stretches from South African dance floors to international bookings, the recognition carries meaning.
But MaWhoo’s interview also makes clear that she understands longevity will require more than recognition.
Behind the fashion, collaborations and streaming numbers is an independent artist increasingly determined to understand exactly what she owns, what she earns and what she signs.
As she put it simply: “I protect myself as I protect my brand.”
