Tuks FM alumnus hits the power of 5

Tshepang Moji

From keeping night-owls company as she pushed to perfect her craft during the ‘graveyard’ slot, to now keeping the country entertained as they go about their weekends, Keabetswe Boya is definitely on a winning streak. The Tuks FM alumnus, who graduated with a psychology degree from the University of Pretoria in 2019, and who is also the host of her own podcast, titled Inside Out with Keabi, is one of the newest radio DJs to join 5FM. She is part of the station’s line-up overhaul, which saw their previous vanguard of presenters make way for a new cohort of talented broadcasters.

Boya’s appointment at the Auckland Park-based radio station makes her a part of the many success stories to come out of UP, and more specifically, the university’s multi-award-winning campus radio station, Tuks FM. She joins a station that has previously been home to South African household names such as Anele Mdoda, Gareth Cliff and Rob Forbes, all fellow Tuks FM alumni. Boya joins the current line-up with big names such as Nick Hamman, Karabo Ntshweng, Nicole da Silva and fellow Tuks FM alumnus, Zanele Potelwa.

This is not the first time that Boya’s talent is recognised on a wide scale, as she was a part of the Tuks FM team that took away many awards at the 2019 Liberty Radio Awards, where Tuks FM still stands as the country’s most awarded radio station. The awards, dubbed the “Oscars of South African Radio”, also saw Boya walk away with the award for Best Afternoon Drive Show, as well as a nomination for Best Afternoon Drive Presenter that year, cementing her place in the radio industry as a talent to keep an ear out for.

In celebration of her recent achievements, and having been endowed with ‘The Power of 5’, PDBY caught up with Boya to discuss her journey in radio, and the steps it took leading up to this leap in her career in media.

When did the radio bug actually bite you?

The radio bug bit in 2016, just a few months after my first few shows on radio. Radio really wasn’t always the plan – I usually just tell people I “fell” into radio because from an early age, I had always aspired to be a television host instead. I just took radio as an extracurricular activity – but that was until I cried hysterically after my first graveyard show (02:00-04:00)! That’s when I realised that I actually really love this thing.

Tell us about how you joined Tuks FM in the first place.

On a regular Saturday morning, I was sitting with a colleague of mine, and I was being my usual, talkative self, when Gugu, a friend of mine, paused for a second, looked at me and said “Kea, you know you would sound really great on radio!” I asked her if applications were open for the station’s February intake, and she walked me to the Tuks FM studios where I filled in the forms. I then received a call to come in for an interview, and, well, the rest is history!

How was your time at Tuks FM? What was the experience like, from your first broadcast, right up to your last?

Well actually, the interesting thing about my TuksFM journey is that I was what you could call the “weakest link” among the volunteers selected during my intake. I messed up the station name during our mock show – which had to be done in the presence of all the other presenters! Based on this experience, I told my manager at the time that I could not do radio, and that I wanted to leave. He suggested that I do my first three live shows, and then I could make my decision to leave thereafter.

With that being said, the journey from then on out was one of absolute growth which saw me cross paths with amazing, talented individuals. I learnt a lot from my peers, my managers, the people I got the chance to interview, as well as the many individuals within the radio industry who would come to chat to us about their radio journeys.

Working at Tuks FM surely comes with some of the best experiences. Which of these experiences stood out to you?

Oh, my goodness! I have so many – I mean, being part of Tuks FM was a highlight in itself! But the two events that definitely come to mind are, firstly, being the first black woman in the history of the station to win the “Member of the Year” Award. It is awarded to the volunteer who consistently goes over and above the call of duty, who is enthusiastic, a top achiever in their department, makes a positive contribution and truly embodies what it means to be a Tuks FM volunteer, and secondly, getting the chance to interview the Deputy Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize.

Winning any award is a big deal but winning a Liberty Radio Award is a massive deal! Can you recall how it felt being in the venue as a part of the Tuks FM team and winning those awards?

Yoh! It felt surreal! It was absolutely amazing because that year, we celebrated Tuks FM winning Campus Station of the year. What made it even sweeter was that it was the first time after two whole years that we hadn’t taken it home. It encouraged me to work even harder. Our programme manager always encouraged us never to make winning an award our sole focus, because not winning would make us think we weren’t talented, which isn’t always the case. But it was really a beautiful moment of recognition, as well as a true encouragement to work hard.

The first week of April is known as the “radio shuffle season” in South Africa, as most radio stations change their offerings and switch up their line-ups for the next year. The SABC’s national youthoriented radio station, 5FM, underwent a line-up overhaul, cheekily dubbed a “System Upgrade”. To much fanfare, the station released its new, much anticipated line-up, which saw a refreshed daytime line-up on the weekdays and weekends. This line-up saw Boya take over the coveted weekend afternoon spot from 14:00 to 17:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. Boya tells PDBY about her shift from campus radio at Tuks FM to commercial – and nationwide – radio at 5FM.

The move from campus radio to commercial radio is always a massive deal. Tell us about the journey to 5FM and how this opportunity came about.

You know, these things are tricky! I genuinely believe that it’s all a matter of timing. I had been sending my demos to the programming manager on a weekly basis throughout the whole of 2020. Early this year, I was contacted by the station manager, JD Mostert. I almost fainted when he texted me! Like, I had to breathe because my heart was beating out of my chest upon the realisation that my dream was about to come true. He then asked to meet up with me, and it’s during this meeting that he offered me a show on 5FM.

Any commercial radio job is huge – but it goes without saying that 5FM is colossal. It’s easily one of the most recognisable stations and brands in South Africa. How does it feel knowing you’re a part of what is often regarded as “The Voice of the South African Youth”?

I am, to this day, still struggling to wrap my head around that reality. It’s absolutely surreal and it’s really humbling. I must say, it’s a tad bit intimidating because it comes with a huge responsibility, but I am really just enjoying finding my way in this industry.

You currently find yourself on the same station line-up as big names in radio like Nick Hamman, Nicole da Silva, and the iconic Roger Goode. How does it feel to be listed alongside such greats in the radio industry?

I never get used to it! I think it will take some time because I really try not to be a fangirl when I meet these broadcasters. I have also just had to make the mental shift that this is the field I am in now. I am sharing the same space with some radio legends of our time, and I could not be more grateful.

Speaking of mental shifts, how did you manage to deal with the shift of broadcasting to just the Greater Tshwane area when you were at Tuks FM, to being on 5FM and broadcasting to the whole country?

Honestly, I am still dealing with the shift. It still scares me to hear someone send in a voice note saying they are from Bloemfontein in the Free State or Cape Town in the Western Cape – I am yet to get used to that. I have also had to stretch myself in terms of the manner in which I create content for my show. It’s not just centred around Pretoria or Gauteng anymore, but it needs to be inclusive of the entire country. So, in that sense, it has brought a lot of growth, not just in my work as a broadcaster, but also personally.

Finally, for someone still putting in the effort at a campus or community radio station, what advice would you give them about breaking out into the commercial radio industry?

Work hard. Focus on your craft. You won’t always love what you do but commit yourself to it. Have a solid reason for why you’re doing this, because that is what will keep you going when your peers get ahead of you, when your journey delays and when you feel like quitting. This journey is a journey of patience, so make sure you have your faith to keep you strong as you embark on it.

Listen to Keabetswe Boya on weekend afternoons every Saturday and Sunday between 14:00 and 17:00 on 5FM (98.0 or 103.6FM in Johannesburg and Pretoria respectively or stream live on 5fm.co.za). You can also listen to her podcast, Inside Out with Keabi, which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other podcast platforms. Follow her at @keabi. boya on Instagram as well as @Kea_Boya on Twitter.

PDBY Featured Artist: Given Masilela

Ashleigh Pascoe

Given Masilela is a Pretoria-based spoken word/ performance poet with an impressive eleven-year career behind him so far and he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Masilela’s poetry takes on themes of patriotism and family, and transforms them into artistic works about faith, love and hope. Masilela says that he always strives to challenge the modern views of society and to encourage a return to a godlier way of life. His work “seeks to encourage good ethics, morality and great value systems”. Masilela spoke to PDBY about his “innate disposition for creativity” and the art that is performance poetry. Masilela explains that slam poetry refers to competitive poetry whereas he is more of a performance poet. Masilela published an anthology of poems in 2012 titled Shifting Paradigms, and is on the verge of publishing a second book titled Corridors Within, which is also a collection of poems.

How did you get involved in the performance poetry scene?

I began my journey as a performance poet in 2010 when I attended a rap and poetry session at the University of Pretoria. This exposed me to a group of poets known as PenseedPoets. They were a community of performance poets who had regular events, and it was through consistent performances at these events that my skills as a writer and performer were harnessed.

What exactly is spoken word poetry?

Spoken word poetry is a way of expressing your thoughts, emotions and experiences through wielding words in an artistic manner. Poetry somewhat accomplishes the very same objective as music, dance or painting, but what distinguishes it from most mediums of expression is that it relies more heavily on descriptive language.

Which of your poems are you proudest of, and why?

I am most proud of a poem titled “My Philosophers’ Rock”, which is a poem that captures the dynamics of my family very well. It mainly expresses how I feel about my mother, a single parent who had to carry the weight of raising four children virtually on her own, and how her own upbringing influenced the way she raised us. I love my family dearly and this poem has given me an opportunity to express the complicated relationship between my mother and her children, as well as how we as siblings relate to each other.

Your performance of the poem “Our Home” offers a very touching reflection of our country. What inspires you, as an artist, to make this specific kind of poetry?

“Home” was meant to be part of a project I was working on for the United Nations in 2015. The project itself never manifested, but a lot of the poems I wrote for that project live on. “Our Home” became a poem that invoked the patriot in me. It continues to remind me that [there] are many things to appreciate about South Africa and our beautiful continent.

What is the process you follow when creating a poem?

At the risk of sounding unsophisticated, I actually don’t have a process at all. My writing sessions are sometimes provoked by inspiration, an overwhelming desire to create a piece of art, but that’s not always the case. In most cases I write poems simply because I enjoy it, I find it to be therapeutic.

Why is spoken word poetry something that appeals to you, as opposed to simply publishing written poems?

In my experience, I have found that the South African audience tends to resonate more with live performances. Spoken word poetry when performed creates an experience for the audience that the literature is incapable of producing on its own.

My writing sessions are sometimes provoked by inspiration, an overwhelming desire to create a piece of art, but that’s not always the case. In most cases I write poems simply because I enjoy it.

You work closely with Spoken Sessions. Could you explain Spoken Sessions in terms of what it is about and what the platform has done for you?

Spoken Sessions is a community of poets, writers, singers, rappers and lovers of art. As the Spoken Sessions team, we labour to create a safe space for poets, singers and comedians to come and share their work and for their work to be consumed and enjoyed by audiences. In creating these spaces, Spoken Sessions has also given me a reliable platform to share my work and to connect with other artists.

What inspires you to keep creating?

Inspiration is not necessarily what keeps me creating, although it does help. I’ve come to understand that I continue to create simply because I have an innate disposition for creativity; it is my domain and place of belonging. It’s simply God-given.

What is the next step for you as a poet?

At this point, my primary focus is on publishing my next book of poems, Corridors Within. By God’s grace I hope to also produce a studio album and a mini documentary series to accompany the book digitally.

You can check out Given’s video content and any future announcements on his socials:

Instagram: @givenillustrative

Facebook: Given Illustrative

Twitter: @IllustrativeGM

PDBY’s artists to watch

CXLXB is a Pretoria-based hip-hop dominant, multi-genre artist. His music is available on all major streaming platforms and his next project, titled “Connect”, is already in the works. In addition to creating his music, CXLXB also heads up his own independent label called “Positive Thinkers”. You can check him out on Instagram and Twitter: @cxlxb_xx.

Joy Club Cassidy Cassidy is a punk band from Pretoria. According to their Spotify Bio they “play punk and tell the truth”. Their music is available on all major streaming platforms and you can check them out on Instagram (@joyclub_cassidycassidy) or on Facebook (Joy Club Cassidy Cassidy).

Zen Garden is another Pretoria-based band. Their sound can best be described as groovy rock ‘n roll - think Red Hot Chilli Peppers meets Beatenberg. You can check them out on Instagram (@zen_ and_nowww), Facebook (Zen Garden) and Twitter (zenandnoww).

Zebra: Sorry Mom

Ashleigh Pascoe

Popular Pretoria-based band, Zebra, released its album, Sorry Mom, at the beginning of April 2021. This 12-track album is classified as alternative but leans slightly towards a soft version of punk rock. Its unique sound can be attributed to its South African song lyrics, accompanied by an array of musical instruments played with intensity. The album is introduced with “Welcome to the Show”, a track opening with manic drumming and a greeting in multiple national languages. Nothing is more welcoming than explosive guitar riffs and intense expressions of energy.

The enjoyment of this album comes from its flexibility. The themes of the album are fluid. They discuss drugs, politics, romantic relationships and wild nights out, all the while accompanied by upbeat instruments. “Life Sucks” is the more heartfelt anomaly to this energy. Whether you are a local or someone who is new to the Pretoria lifestyle, this album will teach you the ultimate “Zebra Fkn Way” with its raving guitars and drums, prominent bass guitar riffs, and husky voices. The musical intensity of “Zebra Week” represents the voice of the band and will help you understand why many apologies to your mother will be in order throughout your university career. Manic apologies that appear throughout the album and especially in tracks such as “Sorry Mom”, may not be to your taste, but the nostalgic appeal of the consistently played acoustic guitar in the song “Sanbonani”, just might be.

The album is laced with underlying humour, with the high energy tracks “Exticy” and “First Year” being testimonies to that. The ability to relate to the album is its appeal, as the most relatable track, “Got The Time”, is also the most popular track. If anything, the album will teach you a little about “Living Your [my] Best Life” as an overwhelmed student. There is hardly a guitar melody in the entirety of the track that is not played with a fast-paced vigour that will encourage you to connect with the music as a South African, while having a laugh.