DAD WOULD BE PROUD

His father was a broadcasting legend – now Sithe Mbuli hopes to make his own mark on the world with his music

- ROBYN LUCAS

IN JUST one year he’s produced a debut album, done live performances and been identified as one to watch on the South African music scene. His father would no doubt have been proud of him if he was still around.

For Sithenkosi Mbuli, the achievements of the past year are bittersweet because his dad, Vuyo Mbuli, isn’t around to see it.

Vuyo, the much-loved former Morning Live presenter, died suddenly from a pulmonary embolism in 2013 at the age of 46. Sithe is still trying to come to terms with his father’s death.

“I think it’s music he would be proud of, but it would obviously be lovely to hear exactly what he thought of it,” Sithe (21) tells YOU while gazing at a painting of his dad on his bedroom wall.

“He’s such a big part of why I’m a musician today and his love for music definitely poured into me.”

The vibrant youngster, who is the spitting image of the broadcasting legend, tries to incorporate a piece of his dad in every aspect of his life. So it comes as no surprise that he’s included his dad’s middle name into his stage persona, Rudy Chalmers.

“I didn’t want my name mispronounced and have it mangled, so I decided I was going to go with a stage name,” Sithe explains. “Rudy is just a short punchy name I enjoy. Chalmers is my dad’s middle name, so I combined those two.”

Sithe also dedicated one of the tracks on his debut album, Fears & Fantasies, to his dad. In Miss You, he sings about how his father’s spirit lives on in him and is somehow still guiding him.