20 Aug 2017

Maikano Tirelo, 27, says the presidential competitions are a stepping stone that has made him to nurture his talent as a guitarist.

Tirelo said this in an interview, also adding that the competitions had given him hope that with talent he could live a dignified livelihood.

 He noted that he emerged national champion and pocketed P10 000 in the recent competitions. He was performing under the category of newcomer in traditional instruments.

Tirelo said he perceived his prize as a financial empowerment that would help him tackle some of the issues that could earn him a positive image in the performing industry.

  “I intend to use the cash I recently won in a manner that will positively curve my talent. Though I got position one, I still feel the need to embark on aspects that will give me a positive image, and especially that I wish to retain the title in the next competitions,” he said.

 He said he was working on plans to buy an advanced guitar, and attend to issues of creating a trademark and trying other arts such as poetry and song writing.

Tirelo also noted that besides the monetary empowerment, the competitions accorded him an opportunity to keep improving his creative skills.

Narrating his story on how he settled as a guitarist, Tirelo said he has been playing the instrument since 1998.

   “Issues of lack of unemployment opportunities and also that I did not do well academically inspired me to make ends meet through playing the guitar,” he said.

  The idea has proved fruitful as he gets engaged to provide entertainment during some social gatherings.

   Tirelo first tried his luck in the presidential competitions in 2012, but could not make it. However, it dampened his spirit.

  In 2014, he got position two at the regional level and although he could not make it at the national level as he got position eight, he came home with P3 000.

  “My resolution was not to give up no matter how tough the game was, I then took part of my prize money to engage a mentor so as to improve my skill,” he said.

  Last year he tried his fate again and this time he got position one regionally and position five at the nationals with a cash prize of P6 000.

  With such achievement, Tirelo said he got convinced that his dream to be the champion was not far-fetched.

  This year he finally got his breakthrough as he emerged the national champion and a cash prize of P10 000 under the category of newcomer in traditional instruments.

  Tirelo said playing his guitar has become an ideal way to butter his bread, and that the cash prizes he won since 2014 was just a cherry on top.

 “While waiting for the next round of competitions, I don’t just seat back, I get engaged to perform in social activities and this helps to attend to my basic needs, it also helps to sharpen my skills as I get to practise before every performance,” he said.

   And now that a lot of people keep showing interest in his performances, he now has plans to start working on his debut album and the DVD so as to reach out to other customers.

 Tirelo admits that although he made it this far, he has not been spared from challenges, especially critics who doubt his intentions.

  He never let these challenges stand on his path but rather turned them into opportunities to realise his dream.

   However, since he has his own goals to achieve, he has turned a deaf ear to all the critics and works round the clock to refine his talent. ENDS