MUSICIAN turns pain into piano and silence into sound.
Ramzin was once that guy no one took seriously, not even those he thought would help him.
Today, the 33-year-old musician from Limpopo is making waves with one of the most talked-about amapiano tracks.
Speaking to Daily Sun, the hitmaker behind Lwendo (which means journey) opened up about his rocky start, love of music and how he's now pushing a unique sound he calls Venda amapiano.
"When I started, people didn't understand me. They didn't believe in my music. It was painful," he said.
ALSO READ | 3-step brings musician's dream to life!Opens in new window
Ramzin, whose real name is Rabelani Mundalamo from Khubvi in Venda, said his now pushing a Venda-rooted version of amapiano and people are loving it.
"I use Tshivenda in most of my songs. Lwendo was created with vocalist Taylor. When she heard the beat, she said she loved it. We wrote the lyrics together, and that's how the magic started."
He said at first, he wasn't sure if the song would land.
"I didn't believe in it until I posted a clip on TikTok. The response was crazy. That's when I knew I had to invest more and finish it properly," he said.
Ramzin said making amapiano in Tshivenda isn't just a style, it's a statement.
"People think you only get great songs in Zulu or Xhosa. But I want Venda to be heard too. It's about identity, culture, and making our people proud," he said.
"The reception is very good, even people I look up to are starting to recognise my sound. That's why I'm working on Lwendo 2.0. We're also shooting the music video soon," he said.
He believes Venda amapiano is not just a trend but a movement.
"We must keep our language alive. Music helps with that. It gives the next generation something to connect with," he said.
But behind the success is a painful story of rejection and broken trust.
"I went to events, got invited, but then told I can't perform because my music didn't fit. People I thought would support me gave me negative feedback. I felt invisible," he told Daily Sun.
Still, he never gave up.
"I'm not doing this for money. I'm doing it for the love of music. If it was about money, I would've quit long ago. Sometimes you use your own cash just to record. But my passion keeps me going," he added.
