17 Jun 2014

It is not every day that one gets to have a proper sit down with a young, vibrant and witty radio personality who is comfortable in his own skin and does not apologise and not ashamed about whom he is and at the same time still has his head squarely on his shoulders.

Radio has always been an integral part of the news media the world over and Botswana has had its fair share of radio personalities, past and present, who have broken down barriers and went on to achieve great things.

With radio, its either you have it or you do not. Mduduzi 'Velile' Madzwamuse seems to be heading in that direction of being a heavyweight within the radio industry and some have already boldly anointed him the next big thing on radio.

Born in Mochudi 22 years ago to a Motswana mother and Zimbabwean father, Mdu, as he is popularly known to his legion of avid Yarona Fm listeners, has taken the radio industry by storm and he seems to have taken everything in his stride.

BOPA caught up with Mdu to share his journey so far and what his dreams and aspirations are as a young Motswana radio disc jockey.

“I am not on radio because I want to be known, but rather I want to share things that I know with people and they in turn share their experiences with me and we both learn and keep it moving,” he professes.

Having grown up in family of academics and being touted to follow suit, Mdu says when he eventually broke into radio, his family was a bit worried with the choice of route he seemed to have chosen, but he convinced them otherwise and they understood and supported him.

“The biggest issue that my mother had with me was that my school work would take a backseat now that I was on radio. Bear in mind that when I broke into Yarona Fm I was Double Majoring in Economics and Accounts at the University of Botswana (UB),” he said, adding that he was in his third year at UB then.

He indicated that his plan was never to be on radio but he always considered it to be a cool experience to play music and interact with people on a bigger platform.

“I guess it was always lingering at the back of my mind and when I did get the chance to do it I did it without much hesitation. I know how to talk and I talk a lot,” he said with a chuckle.

Mdu said he applied with 14 other aspirants and only six, including him managed to get a call back and were then trained for a year.

“The first time I went live on radio was early 2013 and it was on DollarMac’s show and he was showing me the technical side of radio,” he said, adding that regarding his show, it started in September last year which is also his birthday month.

“I was given a time slot and was asked to come up with a whole format for the show. My show is called Out of Order and it is on Friday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Saturday from 8 p.m. to midnight and I absolutely love it,” he said.

Mdu said he initially did not think he had made the cut after his interview. When he did, he was ecstatic.

“I found out I had made it through a voicemail left on my phone by Big Duke and it was right after stepping out of an examination at UB and I was going crazy,” he said and after that everything fell into place.

On being quizzed on how his radio exploits have affected his education, the young lad indicated that he took a break from his Economics and Accounting pursuit but will surely go back to finish off what he started.

“What people do not know about me is that I am also interested in Marketing and I plan on getting that degree but mostly skewed to Industrial Marketing. I once interned for Yarona Fm in the marketing department and I loved it,” he said, adding that he is also contemplating adding a Media Studies degree to his to do list.

He indicated that before the radio disc jockey opportunity came along, he used to write articles for Botswana Gazette and Lapologa magazine but felt writing was not for him.

“Talking yes,” he said with a sparkle in his eye, adding that he also had stints at Orange Botswana as a supervisor, a debt collector for OSEC and a research analyst for PEEPA.

“I feel radio is my calling,” said Mdu.

Speaking about his target audience, Mdu said his show is geared towards university students and high school children mostly doing form 4 and 5 and those that love partying. On where he sees himself in the next five to 15 years, Mdu said he sees himself being on radio for a very longtime.

“I have been told that given the chance I could hold my own in drive time slots and I am open to a challenge, but as for morning shows, I am not a morning person. I honestly hate mornings,” he said.

He indicated that so far he has gotten props from people from within the industry and it is amazing that people appreciate what he is doing.

“It has been awesome man,” he said. “All I have ever wanted to do on radio was to inform and entertain people and now I am living it and funny thing is even up to now I still get nervous when I am live on air.”

He said it was also amazing that some of his listeners sometimes remind him of things he said on his show maybe three to five months back and it is a great feeling that he was touching people’s lives.

Speaking on challenges that come with radio outside of radio, Mdu said the greatest challenge was when people expect and wait for him to sound like he was on radio.

“Some people would be there looking at me and waiting for that punch line I usually do on radio and expecting me to sound exactly like I do on radio,” he said, adding that he also gets those people who try and act cool around him only to find that he is just an average guy who gets along with anyone.

With his trademark hoop earrings, chuck taylors and bucket hat (sdori) and his love for kwaito music, Mdu seems destined to be the best he can be and it can only be good for the industry that has produced radio legends such as Justice Gaolekwe and Phillip “Mokgankgara” Moshotle, who were good in their own right.

The young lad has certainly caught the attention of the industries hard hitters and he is holding his own and showing that he still has room to grow and become bigger than he ever imagined. ENDS