Online Reporter
The stage was set, the lights created the ambience, the DJ was rocking the decks and the celebratory vibes were in full swing during Mi Casa’s 15th birthday party in Sandton over the weekend.
The exquisite private gathering on the rooftop of the Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel was an intimate affair, reserved only for the beloved South African band’s inner circle of family, friends and distinguished figures across music, culture and entertainment who have been part of their journey.
Fifteen years after a chance encounter between three strangers changed South African music, Mi Casa had returned to the very rooftop where it all began.
But despite the jovial festivities, it was the group’s – J’Something, Dr Duda and Mo-T’s – wildly entertaining and oftentimes emotional address on stage, where they delved into the defining milestones of Mi Casa’s decade-and-a-half career, that earned the most significant applause.
J’Something (real name João da Fonseca), the band’s iconic lead singer, opened proceedings by explaining that he was delighted to return to the very same venue where it all started for Mi Casa 15 years ago.
As he urged those gathered to use their imaginations while he went down memory lane, perhaps this is the magic of their story. J explained that a remarkable twist of fate brought the musicians together at this very venue back in 2011.
They were all strangers at the time.
Mo-T (real name Moshe Kgasoane) was an aspiring but down-and-out trumpeter who, just like J – also an unknown artist at the time – attended a “La Dolce Vita” Soul Candi party.
It was only Duda (real name Sipho Mphahlaza) who was already renowned in the industry, having lit up the house music world as a DJ with Soul Candi Records, and was the only booked musician for the 2011 party.
J, who was 21 years old at the time, explained that he had been invited by a friend whose engagement was being celebrated that evening at the party. Once there, he humbly asked Duda if he could sing over his beats and, to his surprise, he agreed.
“I did something so out of character that when I reflect back on it now, I am like, ‘Wow, how incredible it is to step out of your comfort zone.’”
As J freestyled over Duda’s beats, in came Mo-T with his trumpet and the three men simply started jamming, getting everyone at the party on their feet and vibing to their impromptu performance.
J even joked: “I was like, ‘Who comes to a party with a trumpet?’ Mo-T does!”
Meanwhile, Mo-T shared that he had grown tired of the Joburg life and relocated to Pretoria, determined to leave Jozi’s streets behind him.
But his brother urged him to attend the Soul Candi party and simply play his trumpet as a way to gain exposure and get his career going.
Mo-T admitted he was not initially keen but used some of his last money for petrol to drive to the event.
“I was the guy who was borrowing my brother’s clothes, asking for 50 bucks for petrol,” he recalled.
“Where I come from as Mo-T, with the struggles I had and how I was feeling, it turned into this beautiful art called Mi Casa. And here we are today in expensive suits – you don’t want to see what we looked like on that day!”
Mo-T and J then reflected on Duda’s immense contribution to the group. Having been an established DJ at the time, he risked it all to start Mi Casa.
“He gave the both of us a chance,” J said, before adding: “Who drops a whole career to start a brand-new one as part of a group?”
Mo-T added: “We have so much love for him. He had his own gigs and no one even knew who Mi Casa was but he would promote us.”
To much laughter from the audience, Duda joked: “I just had two strangers’ jobs. I was already a somebody!”
He also explained that while he had a thriving DJ career, he was excited by the prospect of Mi Casa because it would allow him to experiment with more of his musical talents.
“We have come a long way together and I am so proud of our journey together,” Duda said.
And then, as they say, the rest is history. Following the resoundingly successful response to that 2011 Soul Candi party, the three men spent 45 minutes signing autographs despite not even having a group name.
J explained that Mi Casa is an invitation for fans to connect with the group through music and that it has always been their intention to create a community of people who resonate with their sound.
This was evident in the stripped-back and raw live performances of some of their greatest hits, including “Mamela” and “La Vida”, at their anniversary celebration, with attendees swooning and singing along.
With Mi Casa officially formed, they released These Streets in 2011, a debut album that quickly became a defining soundtrack for South Africans. Featuring timeless hits such as “These Streets”, “Jika” and “Forever”, the project catapulted the trio from an unlikely meeting at a Soul Candi party to one of the country’s most celebrated musical acts.
Over the next 15 years, Mi Casa would go on to earn numerous awards, perform on stages across the globe and build a devoted fan base, all while remaining true to the chemistry that first brought them together.
Their story, as they reminded guests on Friday night, has never simply been about music, but about friendship, faith, perseverance and taking a chance on complete strangers who shared a common dream.
And as scores of Mi Casa fans, along with the group themselves, reflect on their 15 years in the industry, there is plenty more in store. At the event, they announced that a new album will be released next year, alongside a European tour, a documentary and several other exciting productions already in the works – IOL.
