Lira Molapo's music was the most downloaded (bought) in South Africa last year. Here what this beautiful South African artiste has to say about piracy, her music and her career in this Museke.com interview.

Museke.com: Sawubona! Unjani?
Lira: Ngiyaphila wena unjani?

Museke.com: Can you tell us about your background and family?
Lira: I grew up at my grandmother’s house where there were 13 people in the house. It was awesome! I moved in with my mom and dad when I was about 11 years old and my sister was born when I was 16.

Museke.com: How did you get into music and what was your first break?
Lira: I sang privately with a friend of mine while I was in high school. I as generally very shy about my singing and only performed in front of an audience when I was 16 years old. I also wrote my first song then and entered a talent show with a group of friends. We won Best composition, Best Vocalists and Best performance and it was then that I thought I had something special. It was further emphasized when we started performing in various clubs ad seeing people react to our music was fulfilling and quite addictive!

Museke.com: Did you sing in any bands? How was that experience?
Lira: The first band was the once I entered the talent show with we were a couple of best friends; two boys and two girls and did mostly a capella songs. Then when that broke up I became the lady singer in a few hip hop outfits. It helped me grow and become diverse. Later I joined a white English folk band as as the only female vocalist backing the lead male vocalist. That just challenged me but taught me discipline. Then I started doing my own thing.. Really trying to find my own feet.

Museke.com: Which African and foreign musicians did you listen to growing up?
Lira: I was not exposed to any African artists outside South Africa. I heard a lot of Caiphus Semenya,Letta Mbulu, Miriam Makeba, Dorothy Masuku and Abigail Khubheka. Their music was widely played when I was growing up.

Museke.com: Which African musicians do you admire (presently)?
Lira: Angelique Kidjo, Ishmael Lo, Khadja Nin is my all time favourite and so is Salif Keita.

Museke.com: Have you featured on any other albums?
Lira: Plenty.. Mostly kwaito from Arthur, Zombo, Kabelo as well as on Skwatta Kamp.

Museke.com: What kind of music do you do?
Lira: My music is a fusion of Afro pop...in a very non typical way. It also includes some jazz undertones and very soulful.

Museke.com: Brenda Fassie or Miriam Makeba?
Lira: BOTH. On talent they are both magnificent.. On legacy.. Miriam is tops.

Museke.com: How was it to get unto the soundtrack for the show Girlfriends (for the song Feel Good)?
Lira: It was one of my highlights of 2008 (2000 and great!) It was an awesome opportunity for me and now it has resulted in my album being released in the US this November.

Museke.com: What is the inspiration for the songs you write?
Lira: LIFE! Life is thee most amazing thing to derive songs from.. It’s the way we as humans react to it and perceive it.

Museke.com: If you could be one piece of music you've done, what would it be and why?
Lira: I’d be my melodies. It is in them that I mostly find joy.

Museke.com: I recently heard a track you did to celebrate Nelson Mandela. What was the inspiration behind that?
Lira: The MAN himself. I was invited by KAYA FM to join in the celebrations. I was meant to say a few words and maybe perform. When I arrived in studio that morning I was inspired to put my thoughts down and I asked Sliq Angel to play something, anything on his guitar and I would try free style what I had written... He played something which was simple yet beautiful. I made a few adjustments so that the melody would work better then we I had to jump onto the stage immediately and perform the song.. It was an honest account of what he means to me.

Museke.com: You were chosen as a South African contestant for our sexiest female African musician. What do you think about the moniker 'sex sells'? Does it hold true in the South African music industry?
Lira: I’m certainly not sexy because I sell sex and I sell pretty well with my clothes on. I believe I am proof that not only sex sells. I cannot sell sex because I’m not the kind of woman that is capable of selling sex authentically. Some women have it and some women don’t. I believe what I possess is the quality to be sexy without having to take my clothes off.

Museke.com: Which musicians would you love to collaborate with?
Lira: Dr Malombo, Salif Keita and John Legend.. I think he is different among his peers. D'Banj would be a fun collaboration I think!

Museke.com: Have you been approached by foreign labels and what label are you on now?
Lira: Yes I have, in Italy I’m under New Music int. And Avatar records on the US. Thailand and Europe are released within Sony BMG.

Museke.com: What challenges do you face in the South African music industry?
Lira: Piracy, the decline of CD sales. But most of all I think we don’t sell as much as we can because our CD’s are pricey and if you make it reasonable for every South African to enjoy then the people also think it’s cheap music so it becomes tricky. My music heals as much as it brings joy and I’d like it to reach many people. I believe that’s why we moved over 120 000 digital singles... Which is also due to it’s affordability. Here we often have to do things innovatively because we can’t rely on sales to ensure our existence... But I quite enjoy the process of thinking outside the box and creating new things to sustain my career. I love what I do!

Museke.com: What is your take on piracy and paying DJs to promote your music?
Lira: Piracy is day light robbery. What saddens me is when people rob us of what is rightfully ours and then become the first to look down on artists who die broke when they have had a hand in placing them there. In my career for instance, what I do directly benefits 11 people who in turn are bread winners for 11 households. Altogether we do charity work as a band and a team to give back and empower others... And so the wheel turns positively. So I’d urge people to reconsider when they are about to support pirated stuff... Often they are affecting more people’s lives than they think.
In as far as paying DJ’s.. I’m not aware that this still happens- I’ve been fortunate in receiving genuine support from DJ’s, media and TV all around.

Museke.com: With the emergence of MTVBase Africa and Channel O, it seems a lot of music from other African countries has infiltrated the South African scene. Do South Africans feel threatened by their airplay?
Lira: Oh but I think the integration is necessary- I only know more about other countries through their music. The more I travel and end up in clubs around African countries the more I love being African- THE AFRICAN is BEAUTIFUL!! We will get further quicker if we integrate!! A lot of South African are open to other African genres of music.

Museke.com: Tell us about your new album - Soul in mind
Lira: Soul in Mind is my third album. It is soulful, jazzy and has some urban Afro pop. It feels very connected and sounds like LIRA. There’s just a flavour in it that is typically me. I’ve written some ballads and some funky Township influenced numbers but altogether the album is quite global. It is an hour long and has 13 tracks for you to enjoy!

Museke.com: What is in the future of your music?
Lira: The world is what I wish to make my playground. I wish to perform across the globe and spread the love. I think I have something very special to share and I only wish for the opportunity to do so.

Museke.com: How can South African music expand and sell outside?
Lira: By getting opportunities to travel outside more.. Once there we can explore opportunities. I think the world is willing to indulge us and her what we have to say... Perhaps the biggest challenge is getting to the world. In the meantime we do so through the web.

Museke.com: Do you have any present engagements and works other than music?
Lira: No, everything I do is derived from my music. I have had a break of 10 uninterrupted days in two years so I’d say it’s my full-time job!

Museke.com: What is one interesting thing about you that some of us fans don't know?
Lira: I’m an adrenalin junkie who does at least one thing that I fear every year.

Museke.com: What are your hobbies and pastimes?
Lira: I read a lot, I like to expand my mind and I enjoy movies. I play some golf as I get to enjoy the great outdoors. I sometimes ride around in my scooter which is great fun for me on the days when I want to be incognito.

Museke.com: Do you have a website?
Lira: www.misslira.co.za

Museke.com: Give us your Parthian shot (last words)
Lira: You can’t argue with LIFE because often it is just what it is.. You have better luck when you accept it, love it, appreciate it, enjoy it and mostly LIVE IT!!

Photos are from Lira Molapo's Facebook.