"Artist Lindough, AKA 'Thuphaki,' Takes the Wedding Season by Storm with Hit Single 'Oksalayo'"
Lindough, known for his character "Thuphaki," has become the talk of the town with his oversized suit, pointy shoes, and smooth dance moves. The artist is now in high demand, booked for the entire wedding season, as he travels across the country performing his popular hit single "Oksalayo," featuring Freddie Gwala, King Short, and DJ Active.
While fame is not new to Lindough, whose real name is Lindo Sithole, he admits that he never expected Thuphaki to gain such immense popularity. Starting his career as a backup dancer and content creator alongside his son Valdo, Lindough reflects on his journey, stating, "I initially did that to promote my song, but the video trended and had 18 million views. In the comment section, people were calling me Thuphaki, and I saw that they loved this character. So, I decided to capitalize on it while promoting the song."
“The Thuphaki character comes from when I starred in the Mandoza biopic (Nkalakatha: The Life of Mandoza). I was a choreographer for the biopic and I also played the character of General. So, there’s a scene where he is dressed in an over-sized suit and is dancing to a wedding step. We shot that in April and I kept the clip and only released it recently after I had edited it with my song,”
Lindough's background in musical theatre has made it easier for him to fully embody the character of Thuphaki. As soon as he puts on the oversized suit and shoes, he undergoes a drastic transformation. The single "Oksalayo," which currently boasts 1.7 million views on YouTube, draws inspiration from veteran musician Freddie Gwala's song "Matshidiso." Lindough reimagined the melody and lyrics, ultimately collaborating with Gwala to pay homage to the musician.
“I initially did that to promote my song but the video trended and had 18-million views. In the comment section, people were calling me Thuphaki and I saw that they loved this character. So, I decided to capitalise on it while promoting the song.
"I also shot the music video for the song and included the character and now people book Thuphaki to perform at weddings, which is a market I’ve always wanted to break into,” he explained.
While Lindough has worked in various creative roles, including dancer, content creator, actor, musician, and MC, performing his own music on stage brings him the most joy. He prioritizes family-oriented gigs and prefers to perform at weddings or corporate events rather than clubs.
Looking ahead, Lindough envisions retirement and aims to provide upcoming artists with opportunities through his record label, VNS. He plans to release his first artist soon and hopes to garner awards and recognition within South Africa before expanding internationally. Additionally, Lindough intends to release an album for his fans in January and promises an exciting rollout. Fans can also anticipate seeing more of him on TV and in acting roles.
