Ranawa

About Ranawa

Ranawa manamela KOTSEDI nickname Solly. Also Known As (aka) in the music world "(expired link) "Awa-K" and "I am-K": I started my music career at primary school during late 70's in a school choir singing Tenor, alto and (expired link) teachers will always encourage other children to sing like me, "Sing like Ranawa, sing like Ranawa". This had a great impact on my musicality. whilst at school I formed a quintet singing a capella imitating the South African King Massangers. At high school I met Brooks a guy who use to sing lie to me just like Brook Benton and we formed a duet. We became so popular at school that each time there was an event we will be invited
By the end of my secondary school whilst using The O'jays songs as my practice. I enrolled with Federated Union of Black Arts (expired link). Academy (which was opposite Market Theatre) were most of my real music journey began. After completing my Grade 8 music diploma I took jazz studies which were held at Wits University with Mr. Lenin and extra classic classes with the late Mr. Surendren Reddy, by this time I was composing my own songs mostly politically motivated songs and Love songs.
I joined Vosloo Sings Choristers as their pianist. Later I became their music coach. During my years with Vosloo sings choristers they won the English song which I was actively influential and gave singing classes to polish the voices of the choristers whiles Mr. Eddie Manzingane, my primary school teacher was the choir master, that was in the late 90's when I was already advancing my music studies at WITS.
My first song I wrote was "We build this country". and was so popular at the academy. Then wrote a song "Lady do you know how much I love you" with my dear friend Mr. Menfred Motha of the Menfred and the buffalos. The song became a hit at the academy. The song had the trumpet parts of Mr Prince Lengoasa who had great pleasure playing or sometimes working with us unlike Mr. Victor Ntoni who never liked our style... Our school band became a hit and we started playing at universities. First University was Turflop and our band comprised of Tim known as Selaelo Selota on bass, Sipho Maboa Lead vocals/keyboards, Jabu Nkosi on drums and myself on piano/vocals performing loneliness a song by Tim , Sipho. In 1990 I wrote music for a movie the Gold Cup and went on entering Coca Cola Full Blast Music Show 1 were my song was nominated to be part of a compilation album and did very well in terms of votes and air plays on 9 national radio stations. The controversial winner was Arthur Mafokate and I was second with my song "SUNSHINE". I performed at the Martin Luther jnr. foundation held in Johannesburg a song I dedicated to him "A PROPHET WITH A DREAM". I also sang in a movie IP' INTOMBI singing the WEEPING SONG But that version was never used in the final production of the movie. Presently I teach music at my preschool academy VISION 2000 PRESCHOOL AND LEARNING ACADEMY (expired link) and planning to feature my 4 sons on my next music project on racism.