702 presenter, TV presenter and music producer and director Relebogile Mabotja chats to us about being a media personality.
By: Boitumelo Mmakou
Relebogile has been known for playing a number of interesting roles, but she is more than just a confident actress; she is a singer, music producer and TV producer among other things. She explains how she does it all.
1.You are one of the voices on 702 talk radio station, how exactly did this job come about?
Over five years ago, I was happy with the direction my acting career was going but wanted to try something different. I had always wanted to do radio and loved interacting with people. I loved 702 and thought it would be the perfect place for me to talk with an audience and make use of my skills. So, I hounded the station for over a year until they gave me a chance.
2. One of your job titles is music director, what does this entail and did you get formal training for it?
Unlike my peers in the music industry, I have no academic qualification in music directing. I gained the title through experience and my love for music. As a music director for a number of shows such as I Love South Africa, my job is to coordinate and supervise the musical ensembles on the shows.
3. You gained experience in music during your early years as a choir girl, would you ever take up a solo career and produce an album?
Although I enjoy writing music and working in the business, I don’t plan on releasing an album anytime soon. There have been a number of requests, but I am happy doing what I do.
4. You have a busy schedule – when you are not producing and directing music, you are on TV, doing voice overs or on radio. Do you have time to yourself and what do you get up to?
I love working and often don’t feel like what I do is a lot of work. But as part of my “me time”, I watch I lot of drama series, which helps me unwind.
5. What’s your advice to young people who want to establish a lucrative career in music, not necessarily as musicians but producers and directors?
Any person looking to establish a career in the arts needs to first remember not to limit themselves. Don’t focus on one aspect; the industry does not always promise you a permanent contract, nor does it have a heavy pay cheque for you at the end of each month; so you cannot put all your eggs in one basket.
*Read more about Relebogile in the March issue of Bona
