Donald – Black & White

Donald Moatshe has come a long way. From cutting his teeth as a backing singer for Afro-pop stars Malaika, to his early work with DJ Cleo on his debut solo release Just Donald and his songwriting work for artists such as Kwela Tebza and Kelly Khumalo, he has steadily gained all the right credentials for certified solo success. The first signs of this came with his 2012 follow-up, Train Of Love, featuring the smash 'I Deserve'. The album went gold and earned him two Metro Awards in 2013. Now he's back with his third release - and it's his best yet! Donald has well and truly arrived.

The album is called Black & White, and it looks set to launch the singer's career beyond the borders of Mzansi. The first two singles are accompanied by slick videos, which see the singer hone his image as the consumate ladies man. The video for 'Crazy But Amazing' has him singing in the rain in a wet t-shirt, then shirtless in the shower. 'Unpredictable' showcases Donald's soaring falsetto skills, albeit with a odd military-themed video. Black & White successfully traverses the gaps between Afro-pop and house, with all tracks bouyed by Donald's soulful, R&B-inspired vocals (think Maxwell) over homegrown dancefloor grooves produced by Percy 'Mr VIP' Tlokotse and Steve 'Sticky' Raphadu. The disc also features songstress Bucie ('Don't Let It Burn') and kwaito kingpins Big Nuz ('Party For 2').

With his third release, the singer has reached new creative heights. And he's not afraid to take new risks. He's made this new release twice as nice by turning it into a double disc. Disc two offers acoustic versions of the first, stripping the slick production of the first disc to give further room for his vocal chords to shine, with a nearly identical track listing. The acoustic version of 'Spirit' features none other than US soul sensation Kenny Lattimore and was recorded in LA. Other highlights include the organ-drenched 'I Rise' and the guitar ballads 'Searching' and 'Beautiful People'.

With his intelligent, inspiring lyrics and singular vocal skills, Donald has established himself as the premier male singer on the house scene, leading the way for the likes J-Something (Mi Casa), Ziyon (Liquideep) and others to try to follow.