New series, Game Changers, on FOX Life

Trailblazers are often only acknowledged long after they have blazed said trails. It’s like the saying that a prophet is usually accepted everywhere except their home. So it’s nice to see when proudly and loudly African channels attempt to give out flowers to those who deserve them while they can still smell them.

This is the case with Fox Life. Starting tonight, a show called Game Changers will focus on the people who have done exactly what the title suggests when it comes to music.

As the press release explains: “Game Changers tracks some of the most influential artists’ journeys to stardom. These artists have changed the game and are on top of it.”

While I think it’s a reach to say they are some of the most influential, I do agree that the artists who have been profiled – so far, anyway – have managed to bring something fresh to the corners of the music industry they occupy. Take, for instance, the game changer in the third episode.

When Moonchild Sanelly first burst on to the scene, not too many people knew what to do with her or even how to describe her. She was alt-dance-kwaito-pop-other-worldly and didn’t seem to care about a radio format. She tried the record company route, but she is not one to be tamed.

Even when her music was being misunderstood, she was still enterprising. She started a clothing label that puts her risque style at the centre and even trademarked her signature hairdo, the Moon Mop. You can’t miss the luminous blue crotchet braids.

And they have gone all over the world with her – most recently as a support act for Die Antwoord in Europe. In this debut episode of Game Changers (which starts tonight), here is what the show claims you can expect.

Moonchild “unpacks her journey in the music industry both locally and abroad, she speaks about her sexuality and the importance of owning it. We see how she created a sound for herself, which helped mark her place in the music industry”.

Moonchild’s episode will be followed by a plethora of other Mzansi music-focused episodes. So you can expect to see the likes of Stay True Sound’s independent record label manager, DJ and producer, Kid Fonque. I wonder if they ask him if he ever considered dropping the Kid prefix in his name since he’s been in the industry for so long. I guess you’ll have to watch to find out.

There’s also a spotlight on Mpho Makua from S.G.O.D and the twist here is that, while he is a clothing designer, the episode takes a look at the impact his brand has had on the local music industry and vice versa. Game Changers is shaping up to be interesting, so we’ll see who else gets profiled.