An Athlone singer and songwriter is well on his way to making a name for himself as a solo artist.
Safwan Goolam, 32, is a member of the boy band Protege and started singing from the age of 9.
He won the Cape Town Summer Star Competition in December last year, and this, he says, set his career as a solo artist on track.
He had the crowd screaming for more at last month’s Heart Music Festival, which was his first official solo performance.
He says he didn’t plan on auditioning for the Summer Star Competition.
“I went to support my brother, and while he was auditioning, one of the judges asked me to audition as well.”
Describing himself as a bit of an introvert, Safwan says he was forced to come out of his shell when going solo.
As part of a boy band, he travelled across South Africa, and even performed for the king of Malaysia in 2007.
Singing on the Heart FM stage, he says, was an amazing experience.
He describes his sounds as a mix of rhythm and blues, jazz, soul, and pop.
He says he can write songs about anything, including writing a song about struggling to write a song … which is his song Pen to Paper. Another one of his songs is called A Way to You.
Safwan says his single will be released within a month, and it will be announced on Heart FM.
On Saturday April 6, he is hosting his show, My Journey So Far, at the Joseph Stone Auditorium. Among the acts supporting him are Protege and Shadley Schroeder.
The show starts at 8pm, and doors will open at 7pm. Tickets are R130. The evening is all about getting people to have fun, and to thank the people who helped him on his journey, Safwan says.
For tickets, call 066 108 3547.