Alphi, real name Sipho Mkhwanazi, is a brand communications specialist and MC - who took our Mzansi social media by storm through his entertaining clips that are sometimes tackling real everyday issues that are relevant to most South Africans, and that has made it possible for him to penetrate both the private and the public gig world as an MC and respected entertainer. “My love for public speaking and MCing has been there from a really young age. Engaging with people and putting smiles on their faces has been something I’ve always loved doing. My mother insisted on ensuring that I participate on school extracurricular activities like public speaking, debating and even acting. That’s where I realized this is something I’m really good at and enjoy quite a lot”, he added.
What challenges did you face when you began to see and start selling yourself as a brand and how did you get through those challenges? “Being a “brand” has come with quite a few challenges along the way. I had to quickly come to the realization that my social media platforms and posts are no longer just for fun, but they need to be treated with utmost respect because of the reputation we’re trying to uphold. Moreover, one has to be so smart and strategic about how they position themselves because that enables you to get the right exposure and work with the most relevant brands. I often find that capacity is also such an issue as everyone wants a piece of you. So, it’s important to be wise about what work you can take so that you manage your resources accordingly but also maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle. I’m so fortunate to be approached by people who really love the work that I do and constantly want to see me move forward. Brand 'Alphi' has grown tremendously in the past few months. It’s been an exciting journey and I’m really certain that things will grow even bigger from here”.
What has been your highlight moment or two, since you started with your journey? “One of my biggest highlights at this point has been securing my own TV SHOW on OneGospel called Let There Be Laughter! From someone who hasn’t done TV presenting before, I was so excited to be requested to be the presenter of the show. It’s such a fun show and I hope everyone gets to enjoy it. Also, MCing the The Exclusive All White event was an amazing highlight as it had one of the largest audiences since I started my MCing career".
You recently posted a feature with HUSH SA? How did that come about and can the public expect any formal song from you with them – maybe now or in future? “My collaboration with HUSH was such an impromptu thing that happened in the spur of the moment. We were booked at the same function and because we’re all church boys, we hit it off so quickly and ended up playing around with a few songs. I really do like singing but not for commercial purposes. A lot of people have been requesting me to drop a single but I think I really want to stick to the MCing and brand work for now. Should an opportunity present itself though, I don't think it would be such a bad idea”, he giggled.
One of the things Aphi does is to constantly write articles and tips for other content creators or people who aspire to do the work he does. We asked him to advise young people on the streets who would like to follow his footsteps and this is what he shared, “BE YOURSELF! Authenticity is such a strong currency in our world of work, and people gravitate to it so much. What’s also nice is that authenticity will sustain you as it’s generally not hard to be you and create work that screams YOU”.
Lastly, what do you think about collaborations? “Personally, I believe that collaboration is key. But what I have noticed is that people are afraid to collaborate because they think it’ll dim their light. There’s so much strength in numbers and we’re able to achieve so much more when we work together. People should always remember that”.