People hate me – Babes Wodumo speaks out after new album flops

The life of Bongekile Simelane populary known as Babes Wodumo is far from perfect, and has most times been overly dramatic and controversial attracting bad publicity.

Last year was the most dramatic for the qgom queen.

From a physical assault on her during an Instagram live feed went viral to her laying assault charges against her boyfriend, Mandla “Mampintsha” Maphumulo.

In the video, Mampintsha was seen attacking the 26-year old, an act that was met with anger by the country and was labelled a woman basher.

He later laid assault charges against Babes, but the pair soon found their way back into ach other’s arms and have since dropped their charges.

Her fans were not happy, saying she had failed women by dropping the charges against her 38-year old boyfriend.

Speaking on her relationship, she said:

“Everything is better now. We understand each other better now. If something does crop up, he takes a walk gets some air, which is what he should have done all along.”

She also admitted that they went for couples therapy.

Last year Babe’s father, Reverend Welcome Simelane, came out saying that he would be forced tO wash his hand of Babes if she failed to see reason and stayed with Mampintsha.

“He was upset, Asaparent,he cares and things got heated. We are all good now.

In an interview with Citypress, the Wololo hitmaker said:

“Look, I’ve trended quite a lot and not always for the right reasons. I would rather all of that these days and grow up a bit. We are also people at the end of the day. When you get hungry, you eat and when someone upsets you, you react. We tend to forget that people are looking up to us. Mandla and I seem to trend quickly,” Babes said.

This time around she is trending for s good reason – she recently released a new album Idandokazi which has 13 tracks.

Babes said the lockdown helped her find the time to start and complete the album.

Speaking on her lead single eLamont which got a thumbs up from rapper Swiz Beats and Alicia Keys

“I was so happy when i saw that. I could not sleep.I meanhow would you feel? It was insane. I still can’t believe it.”

However locally her latest work wasn’t as successful as her first album.

“I think its hate,maybe envy. It isn’t all as friendly as it seems between labels and its painful.”

Even though Idandokazi has received mixed reviews, Babes remains unfazed

It is sad that people overseas see the talent, but at home you are not as appreciated.

Sometimes it feels like, because Babes didn’t sign with so-and-so, they [other labels] do things to block her progress. We, as artists, end up getting involved in the issues of the executives. We end up not seeing eye to eye, especially as women.

“You then find out one day that you and this person are mad at each other for reasons that you’re both uncertain of. Those amapiano guys are supportive of each other.

The music tastes of the country have shifted away from the flavours of the shore and moved to the interior with the rise of amapiano.

The two are very different. Ipiano feels a little like the beats are all made by the same person, but with gqom, there is more variation and different elements.

“Even the way the beats make your body move. Ipiano is a bit slow; it makes you move slowly like an elderly person. We aren’t trying to take it easy here; we dance down here

“I would love to work with them [amapiano artists], but my issue is that I am a gqom artist. I have a ring; I’m married to gqom and so it’s hard to leave your husband like that. If I did that, it would be like removing my crown and handing it to someone else. I can’t have that.

“If someone produced a beat that flipped halfway from amapiano to gqom for me to do my thing … then I would be keen.”

She says she has been approached by record labels coaxing her to expand her sound.”Even the amapiano guys are always calling me and sending me beats. I would not leave West Ink, though. I have also opened Wena Wodumo Entertainment, which is my side of things at the label.

As it’s Women’s Month, she advises men to buy their women flowers and make them breakfast in bed.

Yes! They should treat us better. It’s so painful to see women getting hit, raped and killed. Men need to understand that, if you get angry, you walk it off. Leave the house. Things should never get to the point where you lay your hands on someone.