An Ode to Sands

By Mrs M

I must have been what? 16 when I first heard my Dad (May his soul rest in perfect peace) blast a Sands song and no it wasn’t 'Tigi'! It was the ‘Sands of Time’ album that blasted on the family car, a blue Corolla. 

The family favourite was ‘Umoya’ which went something like “ Utsi Jesu…Moya thula,” I was 16 with an acne face but this song made me feel and appreciate God’s presence.

I always tell my friends and husband that I was initiated into a ‘cult’ of loving and celebrating everything Sands does. 

It wasn’t until I was 21, and self- aware that I realised what a freaking great writer Sandziso is. I'm 28 now and I still rank him as one of the best scribes to come out of Eswatini. 

A curator of words and emotion through his pen, the first time I ever met this great artist was in 2019, a year later after my father’s passing. It was during a rooftop MTN Spotlight launch in Mbabane.

I always wonder if people give his first body of work the same attention I do, the pace, the lyrics and the writing.

“ Itolo kuze kwasa solo ngithantaza kutsi uma uvuka ekuseni uvukele etandleni tami,” goes one of his lyrics on a song on the debut album, And like Bro?.

Could he have studied literature or he is just that good with words. Could be the latter having met and interacted with his wife, he definitely is a wordsmith because a girl like that is hard to impress unless you pen words into songs.

I digress, this is an Ode to Sands, for everything he has been in the industry despite the adversaries and odds stacked up against him, which sometimes showed up as over indulgence, poor choices and lack of management he still produced, wrote and lit up every stage like it was his last time.

The golden boy who was Eswatini’s virgin and many firsts (get your mind out of the gutter would you). I remember the ‘Vuma’ days and ‘Tigi’ days and all I could think everytime I saw him on screen, was what a talented young man.

So this is an Ode to Sandziso who gave us ‘Abakubonanga’and went on to throw shade the best way he knows how with ‘Sela’ although my favourite has to be ‘Egoli’

I want to bring attention to the feel of Sands’s songs, the way his lyrics land. He sings with precision and always makes sure his songs carry weight.

Sands has graced over 10 countries outside the kingdom, including Mozambique, Botswana, Tanzania, Namibia, Mauritius, Lesotho, and of course, South Africa and New York if you like, where he’s performed at over 400 shows . 400 in the past seven years.

From the Joy of Jazz, Macufe Festival, Cape Town Jazz Festival, to Durban July, Mbombela Festival, Idols SA Finale, he’s hoisted the Eswatini flag so high that even the clouds know our anthem.

“The moment you step out of the country and tell people you’re from Eswatini, you become an ambassador. It’s no longer about me alone.” He once said during an interview.

And that’s just it. He hasn’t made this journey alone he’s taken all of us with him. Every lyric, every performance, and every chart he tops we’re right there.

Before going solo, he formed a poetic duo with Qibho, giving us the classic ‘Ntfombatana Lenhle’. Then came ‘Vuma’, and then came ‘Tigi’ that joyful, rhythmic, infectious hit that broke all our WhatsApp statuses.

That song has lived on South African airwaves for 9 straight years. Yes, you read that right. It was recently honoured for that milestone not just play listed, but loved, lived, replayed.

It trended on SABC1 Live Amp, dominated the Metro FM Top 40, sat on iTunes Top 10 for two months, and even made it to BBC 1Xtra.

It’s been sung, danced to, remixed, and remembered and still, it never fades. Just a week ago the Minister of Finance Neal was bumping and grinding to it during the ERS Client appreciation dinner.

Once again here is an Ode to Sands, a SWAMA Artist of the Year (2017), a Bushfire headliner (2018, in front of over 30,000 fans), and a Gold-certified artist with his debut album ‘Sands of Time’ heading for platinum.

He has collaborated on an Amapiano track, done documentaries, live interviews, collaborated with the late Tsepo Tshola.

The national prayer song? ‘Ngiyathantaza’ for me this was the song that certified Sands, not only as a song writer and performer but as a spiritual person too.

He weaved that song into a prayer point we all sang it to oblivion. It even became more monumental when the great legend Tsepo Tshola succumbed to death.

“I have been able to carve an international career by being proudly Swazi. My music is an expression of our mother tongue, culture, and heritage. I love my beautiful Swaziland because our culture has not been spoiled or eroded over time.” He once said on an interview on SABC 3.

So again, this is an Ode. To the acoustic guitarist, the vocalist, the band-boy-turned-icon. The PR graduate who left his parents’ home with nothing but a dream and now carries the spirit of a nation.

And now as if the universe knew we needed another moment Sands returns to home soil next week to perform at the Luju Food & Lifestyle Festival.

The announcement has already sent ripples of excitement through fans and music lovers across the region. 

If you’ve never seen him live, Luju is your chance. Come barefoot or come in heels, but come ready to feel. 

And so this is an Ode to the man who will forever be known as ‘Tigi’