Karabo snapped by Makisto moments after his win.
23-year-old Karabo Mogane took the 2015 Idols title on Sunday night and he's going into lockdown immediately. Instead of spending the next two weeks showering in his prizes and bank notes, he's heading straight into the studio to record his winning album which needs to be wrapped by Friday, 11 December when it's being released.
I caught up with him for us to find out what we can expect from it and to get the lowdown on other matters:
Tashi: So your album’s coming out in two weeks... what can you tell us about it?
Karabo: I’m going into studio this week and I’m looking very forward to that. I’d like to channel a lot of genres through it to try to connect with as many people as possible. I don’t want it to be a one dimensional album.
Tashi: What sort of genres are you thinking specifically?
Karabo: Soul obviously because that’s my thing and I’d also like to do some deep house and some club house as well, Blame it on the Night - I’d like to do some RnB - you know, mix it up and also some soft rock. I like John Mayer so I think maybe get a song in there that has that kind of a feel.
Tashi: You’ve only got two weeks to put the album together so how’s it going to work?
Karabo: Basically I’ll be spending my whole week in studio. I’m going to be studio/home/studio/home/studio/home.
Tashi: Where are all the songs going to come from? Have they been written? Are you going to sing songs that already exist?
Karabo: I think it’s songs that have already been written for me. Also, I’ve got songs that I’ve written for myself but I think that might come into play in my next album. For Universal to plan ahead I’m sure they’ve already made the necessary plans.
Tashi: They must have, which means that when you go into the studio you’re going to hear all these songs for the first time.
Karabo: And after hearing it for the very first time, I record it the same day so ja, it’s going to be interesting but I think it’s going to be fun.
Tashi: What’s going to happen if you don’t like one of the songs??
Karabo: Look, so far Universal hasn’t disappointed. The song I got for my single was great and I think obviously they have my best interests at heart so they would like to make sure that the album sells. If I’m happy, I’m sure they’ll also be happy.
Tashi: What are you going to do with your money?
Karabo: I’d like to invest some of it. I think it’s a wise thing to do for one to invest some of the money. And I’d also like to invest in property and also get my dad a car man for his 67
th birthday next year.
He deserves it, he’s been a great father to me so I think I should just do that for him and also just take my mother overseas because she hasn’t been overseas before so it would be lovely for them both to go on holiday and enjoy themselves.
Tashi: What are your immediate goals for the next three months besides recording your album?
Karabo: I would love to gig as much as possible, that’s my first immediate goal, and also, I’d like to venture into sports presenting, acting maybe, radio - maybe even get a slot at one of the radio stations, that would be cool man. Just get in there and keep myself relevant, for people to hear me from time to time.
Tashi: Sports presenting?
Karabo: Yeah, I love sport, I love soccer. I’d like to be a soccer presenter and just present the sport man.
Tashi: Well, Idols winners often get to sing the national anthem at sporting events... if such a thing were to happen for you, which event would you most want to do it at?
Karabo: At a World Cup, at a soccer World Cup, or a rugby World Cup.
Tashi: Where do you see yourself in five years time?
Karabo: I would love to see myself having built a brand. A solid brand that is recognised internationally. Also to find myself performing with international artists and national artists. Just to tour the world and interact with as many people as possible and just to get myself out there as much as I can.
Tashi: What about your own songs? Is that where you see yourself going as well?
Karabo: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ve written a couple of songs and I’d like to take them out to let people hear the kind of sound I want to bring to the table.
Tashi: What are your songs like? Are they also a mix of genres?
Karabo: Ja, it’s a variety, a mixture. There’s a song that I wrote called The World Song. I was inspired by Michael Jackson‘s song The Earth Song - I wrote World Song instead. It’s one of those emotional, heartfelt songs where people can relate to what’s happening round the world at the moment, bombings in other countries, so basically I wrote a song that relates to what’s happening right now.
Tashi: Yes, I was going to ask, what are the songs that you write about?
Karabo: I’ve also written about love, there’s a song that I wrote called Love is a Verb . It’s a doing word and I think actions speak louder than words - that’s basically the notion, that actions speak louder than words so I decided to call it Love is a Verb.
Tashi: If you were to sing a duet with one of the Top 10 finalists, who would it be with and why?
Karabo: Shew, it’s a tough one. Vocally there are three females who suit my voice, Dineo, Amanda and Elwira - those three I think.
With Mmatema it would possibly work as well but I think those three because they also do the kind of music that I do which makes it easier whereas Mmatema likes the hip/ shake-shake-move-move/ Tina Turner type of style. It would be people who like the more laid back type of music, I think we’d probably relate more because of the music they like listening to and doing.
Tashi: What are your plans with your studies?
Karabo: Right now I’m putting that on hold so that I can just focus on my career next year - make sure that I do as much as I can and in 2017 I’d like to continue studying and finish it off and graduate eventually.
Tashi: And when you go back you’ll obviously be a celebrity then.
Karabo: *Laughs* I don’t think I wanna go back to school necessarily, I think I’ll do it through Unisa.