by Thinus Ferreira
Mosquito was unmasked on Saturday night in the finale of The Masked Singer SA's on SABC2 as Mzwakhe Mbuli Jr., who became season 3's runner-up, but as the most-dedicated contestant by far and on why he went the extra mile, he says "Everything Robot Boii does has to be at the top and has to have a Robot Boii stamp".
For 13 weeks, with a lot of "bzzzz"-ing about on stage and showcasing his talent to great acclaim and popularity among the in-show voting audience and viewers at home, Mzwakhe Mbuli Jr. came this close to clinching the title as The Masked Singer SA's third season winner.
That prize, however, went to Bontle Modiselle, who was hiding under the Spotty mask as the winner of this season, produced for SABC2 by Primedia Studios and the Rose & Oaks Media production company.
Anele Mgudlwa, co-executive producer of The Masked Singer SA at the Rose & Oaks Media production company, describes Mzwakhe Mbuli Jr.'s inside Mosquito as this season's "method actor".
"He found a way to "Bzzz" everything. So competitive and dedicated."
Frankie du Toit, co-executive producer, says "Mosquito was dedicated to being Mosquito. We talk about weeks of recording. We talk about so many different things happening on stage. Embodying the character."
Anele Mgudlwa says Robot Boii was the participant who "communicated with us the most this season".
"He constantly kept asking: Can I do this? Can I do that? Always wanting to add more. In our field we call it added value. Eventually I said: Here's my number. Every day he went: Can I do this? Can I add that?"
I sat down with the musician and content creator to find out more about Robot Boii embodying the magnificent Mosquito in the third season of The Masked Singer South Africa.
As Mosquito, you wore this really heavy turquoise coat but it's floor-length. It has a "slip" of sorts. So in your performance, you basically had to be like a bride who has to be careful not to step on her own wedding dress. How did you keep in mind that while you perform what you must do not to step on your costume?
As a professional dancer, you always have to be aware of your surroundings, even with the outfit that you're wearing, you know.
So I always had to be conscious of how I swing it. I couldn't take back steps without it being lifted up for me.
I think that's just also the experience and just understanding what I'm wearing and how I need to present myself in performance.
And it's also quite heavy. It looks beautiful, but it's much heavier than it looks. How did it feel to you, or how long did it take you to become comfortable in terms of what your overall new weight is as the character?
I think I'm a fitness guy, you know, so as much as I'm skinny, I've got a lot of activities that I do that keep me conscious of what my body can take and cannot take.
So when I had the weight on, I adjusted very well to it because also I've got wide mosquito wings and I've got a mask that I'm only seeing from left and right, not in the front.
It took me two days after putting it on to get used to it, and then from there, it was go time.
Producer Anele Mgudlwa said you were the "method actor" and most involved and most communicative of everyone this season in terms of improving and enhancing and adding to your performance. Of course you could just go and perform, but why did you think to really enhance it with your own flair?
Everything Robot Boii does has to be at the top and has to have a Robot Boii stamp.
My brand is aspiration and inspiration. It's the level of creativity and bringing your A-game to everything. So it's about creative freedom, asking questions, and knowing the limits.
In fact, I think I'm the only mask that was changing lyrics to add "Bzzz" into it, and that's what it is for me. It's like, how do I embody this character into my world instead of just leaving Robot Boii outside the door and just be Mosquito?
I'd rather have a fusion. If a Mosquito bit Robot Boii. I was the modern-day Peter Parker Mosquito.
What message do you have for the high school kid who has a dream of entering South Africa's entertainment sphere, whether it's dancing, singing, acting or whatever, and see you and want to be like you, but get messages back from parents or whoever that it's not a real career and you can't do it?
I think the most important thing is having a foundation because the entertainment industry isn't guaranteed.
So there is a possibility to have a career, but the chances aren't a guarantee because of how many of us there are in the space.
So having a foundation, an educational foundation, is important.
Then, your ability to chase your dream needs to be that you are consistent. Be true to yourself and you need to understand what you're getting into.
Do the research, find out how to get better at what you do, and adapt to your craft. Work on your craft to a point where you're the best in the room where that is concerned.
So it's a lot of time, it's a lot of effort. It is possible. It's hard, but it is possible.