Zakes Bantwini

"I am a result of coming from a poverty stricken background, to where I am today. So my life is a motivation. If you were to look into my life or watch my interviews, with that I dont even have to motivate you. My life itself is a clear indication that if you dream, you become what you want to be."

"The reason I decided to enrol at the business of entertainment, media and sport at Harvard Business School was because we just launched a new company that represents athletes and entertainers."

"You cannot work as if you are an island; you will not get the best results. You will get the best music when you open yourself up to learn and to teach, which is what I have done, and it has worked"

"You dont want to be called a one-hit-wonder and fall out on any business youve embarked on because of no educational background of understanding what it is that youre doing"

"I always say that a song really makes itself; you have to allow a song to speak to you and just follow its calling. An idea will come to you as just an idea"

"I think what sets South Africa apart is that we really are a dancing nation, so when it comes to dance music, it just makes sense. Just go onto TikTok, and you will see South Africans straight up running the TikTok dance challenges. We love dancing in South Africa, so it makes sense for us when it comes to dominating dance stages"

"Music itself seeks to collaborate. Every song has collaboration—every instrument collaborates with another to make a song. Drums collaborate with a bass, with a voice, with strings, to make a song. I love collaborating; you can’t make music without collaborating instruments and minds"

"I would encourage everyone to try and collaborate as much as you can because when you do, everyone in the studio will aim to push the envelope. You will never be able to compete with my creativity when you want to work on your own because I have a team of people who make me great, and who I make great. I am in such a sweet spot because I accept that music has to be shared"

"Everything that you want to do you need some sort of education for you to excel in it. So, with just great talent you can only be just that great... But with that great talent plus schooling, you become even more amazing. Its like greatness on steroids"