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“I have never worked at a car wash,” says Idols SA season 11 winner Karabo Mogane (24).
But he said there was nothing wrong with getting paid for washing cars.
Mogane was responding to a picture he posted on his Facebook page this week.
In the picture, Mogane is seen washing a white taxi.
The picture went viral on social media, to the extent that some of his fans thought he had come a long way from washing cars to becoming an Idol.
Speaking to bubbly Mogane this week, he said: “It was a school excursion outside Nelspruit, where we learn about nature. We went there on a school trip,” he said.
“It wasn’t like I was getting paid to do it. As guys, we washed the cars, while the girls made food for everyone,” he said.
“Did you not see the [minibus] had Lowveld High School written on it?” he asked.
He said that was the name of the school he went to.
He further explained: “What happened is that because the taxi always drove us students, it would get dirty with mud and the boys were called together to wash it.”
The picture was taken nine years ago by one of his friends at the camp.
“The reason I posted it on Facebook page is because, for me, it’s a memory,” he said.
Last week Sunday, when Mogane was announced as the winner, he couldn’t believe it when his name was called.
“It was like a 50-50 thing. I suppose at the same time there was the thought of Mmatema, as a female ... I knew the possibilities and odds were possibly high that she might take the prize,” he said.
But what kept him going was how he had been confident about his singing and performing, even if he didn’t win.
“I performed like never before. I gave my best performance with Judith Sephuma. It was an opportunity of a lifetime to sing with her and I might not get an opportunity to sing with her again,” he said.
Since last week, his schedule has been hectic. He has done interview after interview and is recording a 12-track album in studio.
The title of the album is Love Is a Verse. When asked whether he was in love, he said: “No! I’m not in love, but I would love to meet someone special one day.
“I’m working with great producers: Nqubeko Mbatha and Robbie Malinga. I would also love to work with renowned House DJ Black Coffee,” he smiled.
“My album is very diverse; I tried to accommodate as many people as possible. People should expect House, Afro-pop, gospel and R&B on my album,” he said.
Mogane was studying Geoinformatics at Stellenbosch University, but dropped out because he couldn’t afford to pay his fees this year. And he had to put school on hold.
“I really want to settle into the music industry and I think 2017 would be more appropriate for me to register with Unisa,” he said.
The last-born of eight said he was homesick.
“I’m looking forward to my homecoming, hopefully this week. The last time I saw my family was Sunday; I really miss my family,” he said.
