IN today's rapidly evolving music scene, trends come and go in the blink of an eye.
Tshwane-born producer, vocalist, and songwriter Komplexity continues to stay true to the sound that first inspired him.
He remains dedicated to soulful house music.
The musician, whose real name is Kagiso Makhubela, hails from Soshanguve in Tshwane.
He has been in the music industry for a while, and in 2013, he was featured on the gold-selling House Afrika Sessions, Vol. 3 compilation album.
This project showcased Komfort Blendz, his collaborative duo with DJ Fortee, marking a major career breakthrough that opened new doors.
"The moment that compilation album came out, that was the first ticket to getting where I wanna go.
"Having people call, text and tell me in person how my music touched them and gave them light to the journey of life made me realise I'm definitely doing something right."
Since then, Komplexity has built a steady career both in the spotlight and behind the scenes, working as a ghost producer and songwriter for other artists.
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Despite the challenges of being an independent artist with a niche sound, he said persistence and collaboration have kept him motivated.
"The industry has never been friendly to anyone.
"It's hard sometimes because the music I make doesn't always have a massive audience, but it gets better through connections and collaborations."
Inspired by legendary R&B and soul artists such as Michael Jackson and Maxwell, Komplexity describes his sound as soulful, groovy and timeless.
"My music is the kind that could still be played a decade from now.
"It's classic house music. I fuse electro elements with soulful sounds, and I think that's what makes it unique."
Although deep and soulful house remains his musical foundation, the artist also experiments with amapiano and Afro-house, particularly within the growing 3-step movement.
Komplexity said many of his songs are inspired by real-life experiences, including family matters, relationships, friendships, and everyday struggles.
"I love music with my heart and soul, so I can't give up on it.
"Music is the only reason why I keep going basically," he said.
The artist recently released his self-produced EP Matters Of The Heart on digital platforms and is preparing another project for the upcoming spring season.
Komplexity also shared his thoughts on the growing influence of artificial intelligence in music production, saying the technology comes with both advantages and disadvantages for creatives.
"With AI taking over in the music industry, it comes with both good and bad advantages for creatives. The good thing is that it has made production easier in terms of making music sound more live instead of fully digital," he said.
He added that AI tools now allow producers to incorporate live instrument sounds into productions without always relying on session musicians.
However, he warned that technology could also make it easier for people to imitate other artists' creativity and sounds.
"Some people can take your creativity and derive something new with similar sounds in less than five minutes using AI. But I still prefer producing a song from scratch. That's the perfect imperfection I prefer," he said.
