YOUNG ZESH TELLS IT ALL ON PODCAST

MBABANE – The drama in the local music scene is far from over.

This is because  local musician Young Zesh has finally spoken out why he left his former stable, Upscale Live.

In February 2025, the musician posted on his social media that he had left the stable and this publication also reported about his departure, but he did not state the reasons for leaving at the time. The musician revealed some of the reasons why he left on a local podcast, What’s the Story? hosted by Banele WJLM.

One of the reasons allegedly revealed by the musician is that the record label allegedly did not compensate him for his effort and they were no longer abiding by their agreements. ”I was the most booked artist in that stable. We came to an agreement of them getting 20 per cent and 80 per cent for me whenever I receive bookings, which was never the case. My bookings were now used to pay rent and studio bills,” he said. The musician also revealed that the decision to leave the stable was not a rash one, but he had been patient and tolerating a lot from the label and he came to a point where he had had enough of everything.

Meanwhile, Upscale Live Director Sibusiso Simelane was reached out for comment but had not responded to the publication’s calls and questionnaire at the time of publication. This reporter wrote to him saying: “I would love to have your response on what your former artist revealed on the ‘What’s the Story’ podcast, especially about there being no transparency when it comes to payments for bookings. Is it true that you did not update Young Zesh about these payments as well as how he would get a cut from the bookings?” Simelane did not attend to the questions.

Worth mentioning is that Simelane was responding to some of the allegations on his social media pages. In one of the posts, Simelane attached a screenshot as proof of payment from a recent show dubbed ‘Africa Fest’, he also alleges that the event organiser played a huge role in the musician leaving the stable. “The person who was hosting this gig, he is the new Young Zesh manager and plays a major role in the character assassination attempts going on, more lies to be exposed,” he wrote after also asking to set a date with the podcast host so that he can also reveal his side of the story.

The dispute has sent shockwaves through the local social media community, with many questioning the power dynamics between artists and record labels. Fans of Young Zesh have taken to social media to express their support for the artist, while others are urging the other party to tell his side.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: