South Africa's ultimate comeback kid, Ishmael, is back on the music scene, but this time he has ditched his swag.
The musical chameleon released his latest album, Ke Waka - meaning "She is Mine" - last week through veteran musician Arthur Mafokate's 999 music label.
"It's different from any other album I've done. It's a live album throughout; we completely removed all the studio effects.
"It's something for my fans from way back who have also grown now - it's more afro-soul and jazz," Ishmael said. "I owe it to myself to do an album in which I'm not trying to be trendy, cool or swaggalicious. I just sing - it's real and raw and I want people to get that."
The 12-track album has no featured artists and was produced by Tempo, who also produced his kwaito smash-hit Roba Letheka.
In the more than 20 years he has been in the industry, the 43-year-old has dabbled in different genres including R&B, kwaito, trap, gospel and now afro-soul.
Much of the album is focused on love, despite the singer being single at present.
"I'm not in love, but I know I will be soon," he said, with a chuckle. "Love comes and goes and then it comes back again so I have no doubt that I'll be in love any day now."
