Tatenda Mandaza (born 10 September 1992), known professionally as Tendaness, is a Swazi-born record producer, DJ and songwriter.

Tendaness
Tendaness in 2013
Tendaness in 2013
Background information
Birth nameTatenda Mandaza
Also known asTendaness
Born (1992-09-10) 10 September 1992 (age 32)
Mbabane, Eswatini
Genres
Occupations
  • DJ
  • record producer
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)Piano, Guitar, Synthesizer
Years active2008 – present
LabelsTendamix
Websitetendaness.com

Early life and career

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Tatenda Mandaza was born in Mbabane, the capital city of Eswatini. His mother is Swati and his father is Zimbabwean. He began his music career in 2007–2008 in his bedroom[1] after having picked up an interest in the art from a friend in high school.[2] He got his stage name 'Tendaness' from his friend who taught him how to use turntables in 2008.[3] He mastered the process of music production and established his record label, Tendamix Records in 2011. Tendaness has won two national "DJ of the Year" awards in Eswatini (2010–2011 and 2011/2012) and won first place in the Sprite DJ Champion 2011.[4]

In August 2012, Tendaness moved to the United States to attend the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma. He studied Advertising with a minor in Film and Media Studies for four years while still making music. Tendaness released his first EP Play on 23 August 2012 under UK based indie label Crossborder Records. He has released many more singles, EPs and official remixes to date. He released a major single "Overload" in 2013. The single featured former Cashtime member Smashis (now Zingah) and rapper Kid Nice. The track was released during his time as Coca-Cola Swaziland Ambassador, as part of the Crazy For Good Campaign.[5] The song gained major airplay in Swaziland and South Africa and had the first ever Swazi music video to be aired on major music channels like MTV Base and Channel O.[6] On 3 March 2016, he released his debut LP "Grande" featuring a roster of upcoming artist from Swaziland and around Africa.[citation needed]

Career

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On March 24, 2017, he released the debut single from his debut album "Tendanes"[7] titled "Jika ft. Bholoja & LO.[8] The song was play-listed radio by stations in many countries in Africa and beyond. He is signed to his own label Tendamix. Tendamix is Mandaza's own label. Jika reached number 1 on the Apple Music Top 100 Charts for Swaziland, reached Number 1 on the SBIS 2 Top 100 songs of 2017, Number 2 on the Y Urban Top 40 Chart and Number 29 on the #YTop100 songs on 2017 Charts on YFM in South Africa (where the song was placed on heavy rotation), Number 2 on the DJ Edu DNA Top 5 Chart on BBC Radio 1Xtra and number 4 on the Afro Turn Up Charts on PBS 106.7FM in Melbourne, Australia. The music video for "Jika" was later released on June 22, 2018.[9]

Discography

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Album Title Album Details
Grande

Official Remixes

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Remix Title Mixtape Details
Emrah Is – Fuck the Robot (Tendaness Remix)
Camp MullaParty Don't Stop (Tendaness Remix)
Lo & Adrienne Foo – Ride (Tendaness Remix)
  • Released: 10 February 2015
  • Album: Art Money
  • Label: Swazi Jive
  • Formats: Digital download
Adrienne Foo – Pressure (Tendaness Remix)
  • Released: 10 February 2015
  • Album: Art Money
  • Label: Swazi Jive
  • Formats: Digital download

Extended plays

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Mixtape Title Mixtape Details
Fortune – EP
Play – EP
Sober Day, Drunk Night – EP
The Unexpected – EP

Singles

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Single Title Single Details Album
Overload ft. Smashis and Kid Nice Single
Gold Chain ft. Kikwa and Reggie[10] Single
Drinking & Driving (DUI) ft. LO Grande
Skeem ft. Donno & Lo Grande
Bad Mami Game ft. Kikwa Grande
JIKA ft. Bholoja & LO [11][12] Single
Love Me ft. Velemseni & Bholoja [13] Single
Call on Me ft. Nomalungelo [14] Single
Solo ft. Velemseni Single
Tell Me ft. Tiyas King [15] Single
Make Up Your Mind ft. Symphony [16] Single
Mosha ft. Masandi[17] Single

Studio albums

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Album Title Album Details
Tendaness

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Ceremony Prize Work/Recipient Result
2010
Swaziland National Arts & Culture Awards DJ of the Year Himself Won
2011 Swaziland National Arts & Culture Awards DJ of the Year Himself Won
2011 Sprite DJ Championship Best DJ Himself Won
2017
MTN SWAMA Awards DJ of the Year Himself Nominated
2018 MTN SWAMA Awards Best Collaboration [18][19] Jika ft. Bholoja & LO Won
2018 MTN SWAMA Awards Best Music Video [20] Jika ft. Bholoja & LO Nominated
2018 MTN SWAMA Awards Song of the Year [21] Jika ft. Bholoja & LO Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Stay on lane and count your blessings". Swazi Observer. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Tender Hands of the Decks". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  3. ^ "Tender Hands of The Decks". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  4. ^ "Entertainers Must Work Together - DJ Tendaness". Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  5. ^ "TENDERNESS DOING IT BIG IN THE USA". Swazi Observer. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  6. ^ "DJ Tendaness' video aired on Channel O". Swazi Observer. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  7. ^ Mamba, Phetsile (28 February 2019). "Tendaness' Debut Album Release Date Revealed". Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  8. ^ "Update your Playlist with these Artists from around Africa". Spark. 11 February 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  9. ^ "Watch the Video for Swaziland's Tendaness' Hit 'Jika' Featuring Bholoja and LO". OkayAfrica. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  10. ^ Aimenoho, Nokukhanya. "Swazi Jive Records drops new Tendaness, Adrienne Foo singles". Swazi Observer.
  11. ^ "Tendaness' New Single "Jika" – A Must Have". Gcwala 99. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  12. ^ "Jika (feat. Bholoja & Lo) – Tendaness Song – BBC Music". BBC. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  13. ^ "Weekend Playlist: The Best New Music From Niyola, Cassper Nyovest, Efya, D'banj & More". OkayAfrica. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  14. ^ "First Listen: Swaziland's DJ Tendaness Drops the Genre-Bending 'Call On Me'". OkayAfrica. 26 July 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  15. ^ Msibi, Nondumiso. "Times Of Swaziland". www.times.co.sz. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  16. ^ "Tendaness releases new music. - Transafricaradio". Transafricaradio. 1 February 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  17. ^ admin (24 August 2018). "🔥 New from; M.I Abaga, Cassper Nyovest, Sauti Sol, Mumbi, B3nchmarq, Tendaness, MX Blouse, T Deep & More". Africori. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  18. ^ "eSwatini: MTN SWAMA Awards announces nominees". Music In Africa. 4 July 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  19. ^ "eSwatini: MTN SWAMA Awards announces winners". Music In Africa. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  20. ^ "eSwatini: MTN SWAMA Awards announces nominees". Music In Africa. 4 July 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  21. ^ "eSwatini: MTN SWAMA Awards announces nominees". Music In Africa. 4 July 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
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