16 | 8 AUGUST 2019wwT’S beenmor
her character
are stillcom
death –butf
like a weight
shoulderswh
rest. Forfive
tress playedth
life spirals outofc
dating the sonofa
“I will misstha
but it was timefo
“Her characterwa
Zanele’s death
time for the actre
music circles,w
spread her wing
been too afraid
tells us. “NowI’m
people who Iam
playful, fun, creat
a beautiful voice.”
Isibaya’s creator
using her pipes
music but Sibu,w
debut singleHe
years ago, is reluct
own praises. “Iwa
tive. I could write
dance. But I was
enough to seethin
“I was the talles
and the darkest,s
cure. I’d startsom
quit halfway becau
I wasn’t good eno
But that’s allcha
She got intoac
she was scoutedb
in her hometown
ritzburg, andtol
what it takes tobe
“I wasn’t sure,bu
the agency anyw
few modellingjo
few acting gigsas
Getting her brea
changed her life.
me confidencea
into someoneelse
“I needed towo
dence, and Isibay
played my rolea
time to move ontT
HEact
nesswo
hersuc
album
AfropoINSTAGRAM (@J_SIBU, @THEREALSMAH_TDPO) FACEBOOK/ISIBAYAMZANSIMAGICperson
w.drum.co.zarethanamonthsince
rwaskilledoffandfans
ingtotermswithher
forSibusisiweJiliitfelt
hadbeenliftedoffher
henZanele waslaidto
eyearstheIsibayaac-
he clubmanagerwhose
controlwhenshestarts
aruthlesstaxiboss.
atgirl– shewascrazy,
or hertodie,”shesays.
asn’tgrowing.”
cameatjusttheright
ess,knownasSibuin
ho’sbeenwantingto
gs fora while.“I’ve
to bemyself,”she
mreadytoshow. I amloud,I am
tive– andI have
rs agree.They’re
fortheshow’s
whoreleasedher
nnesseya few
tanttosingher
as always crea-
epoetry,sing,
n’t confident
ngsthrough.
tgirlinschool
so I wasinse-
methingand
useI thought
ugh.”
anged.
ctingwhen
by anagent
,Pieterma-
ld shehas
ea model.
ut I joined
ay. I gota
obsanda
anextra.”
ak onIsibaya
“Actinggives
sIgettostep
e’s life,”shesays.
orkonmyconfi-
ya didthatforme.I
andI diditwell.It’s
to thenextchapter”tress,modelandbusi-
omanplanstobuildon
ccessbyreleasingan
ofhip-hop,gqomand
op songs basedonher
alexperiences. OneofRIGHT
ON TRACK
Actress and singer Sibusisiwe Jili on
saying goodbye to Isibaya, her close
call with a con man and the album
she has in the pipeline
BY QHAMA DAYILE PICTURES: SHARON SERETLONEWS