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You know her as Black Porcelain.
Born in 1983, Carol Mashigo (published as Mohale Mashigo) not only grew up to become an award-winning singer and songwriter, but she’s also a radio moderator and now boasts the title of recently published novelist.
Her book, The Yearning, which is set in Cape Town focuses on the story of a young woman whose past threatens to unravel the idyllic lifestyle she’s managed to build for herself.
As part of our series celebrating South African women this Women’s Month, Mohale has taken some time out to chat to us about her book, the people she admires most and about not having any regrets.
1. What inspired you to do what you do?
I’ve always loved telling stories. I get that from my mother, she always told me stories before bedtime. Music and writing are the different voices I use in my storytelling.
2. Who do you admire and why?
I admire people who live their lives authentically. There is a whole world telling us that we need to be everything except who we are. And I have met people who say “no, I am actually not going to apologise for being this way.” People who reject the self-hate that is being sold, I admire those people.
3. What is the biggest challenge you face as a woman in your field?
I face what is probably a challenge for women in many fields. Male writers are automatically given respect and everyone assumes they write for everyone. Because I am a woman, there is an assumption that I’m “still becoming a writer” and only women will “get” my work. They always put our gender before our title (Female Doctor, Female President etc.).
It’s tiring.
4. What advice do you give other women trying to achieve their goals?
Surround yourself with women who support you. I have a very close, supportive group of friends and they understand most of my challenges and support each other fiercely.
There are times when I don’t even need to explain why a situation is frustrating, they get it. Having these women in my life has been so important and has made the journey, to achieving my goals, easier.
5. In the news story of your life, what would the headline read?
Invincible Mashigo
6. What superpower would you want?
I think I would want to be like Hulk (super strength). I’ll take the bad stuff with it as well. With great power comes great colour (green).
7. If you had six months left to live, what would you do?
I would complete all the stories I have started writing while travelling around the country with my family and best friend.
8. Would you go back and change anything? Do you have any regrets?
I read a great quote (about regrets) by Prince a few months ago – “…you take one thing out and the structure falls.” Everything that has happened to me has brought me to this point. I don’t believe in regret.
9. Where do you hope to see yourself in the next 5 – 10 years?
Hopefully I will still be writing and making music. Maybe one or two kids and a dog in the mix.
10. If you could have dinner with anyone from history/celebrity, who would you choose?
Billie Holiday. She is one of my favourite vocalists and I would just want to listen to her sing and/or talk all night.
11. Let’s talk about your novel “The Yearning.” How long did it take you to write it?
I started writing The Yearning in 2006. I was working in advertising and hated it so much! I started writing to distract myself. When I left advertising for a job in radio, I stopped writing because my new job was keeping me busy.
My best friend encouraged me to finish writing The Yearning and I started working on it again in 2010.
12. How and when did you start writing?
I started writing when I was really young. I wrote little stories for myself. It wasn’t anything special or significant; it was just what I did to entertain myself.
In high school, I started writing fan fiction with a friend. The girls in our class enjoyed it, we kept writing and they passed it around until the book was tattered.
13. If you had to choose between singing and writing which one of them would win?
That is a difficult question. I would never choose.
Purchase a copy of The Yearning from Takealot.com.
Author photo: Sydelle Willow Smith
