CTH Romeo Mashala shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Romeo, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Currently, my focus each day is on aligning myself with where I am in life. It’s not about struggle, but about reaching a stage where I can fully embrace my circumstances and reap their abundant benefits. Every morning, I dedicate time to refining my thoughts and behaviors, learning to become my true self by adopting the right mindset and habits. Although this process isn’t easy, I stay mindful and committed. I realize that everything I see and experience is a projection of my mind. When I truly understand this, I know I need to relax, let go of familiarity, and honestly examine myself from the inside out.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is CTH. I am a creative and a musician, but at the moment I’ve chosen to pause releasing music to focus on growing my organization, Rnbsoulsa. Rnbsoulsa is a community and platform created to support R&B, Soul, Jazz, Pop, Afrobeat, and related genres. That is the driving mission behind everything we do.
The idea for Rnbsoulsa was born in 2019. At the time, I spent many days in studio sessions where I met incredibly talented singers. What shocked me was how afraid many of them were to release their music simply because we were in South Africa. I would hear things like:
• “Your music is good, but this is Africa nobody listens to this.”
• “English isn’t your native language, this is Africa.”
These comments discouraged artists and made them doubt their identity and sound. For creatives like us, who operate from a place of energy and expression, nationality or race doesn’t define the art the art goes beyond that.
At first, I tried supporting these artists by featuring them on my own songs. I didn’t care what people thought of my music; I cared more about giving artists the confidence to share their talent. But I quickly realized that wasn’t enough. Artists needed a system not just encouragement.
So I created a blog where I could post my music as well as work from other artists. In the beginning, I featured the same artists repeatedly because the discovery process was slow, and it was hard to balance my music with trying to grow this platform. Eventually, I took a break.
During COVID, everything shifted. The online world exploded, and I had a few R&B/Trapsoul songs ready. A friend told me, “Bro, this is the right time to push.” He helped redesign the logo and structure the brand in a more professional and focused way.
We started posting 4–5 times a day. At first, it was the same artists, including myself, plus new musicians we discovered. From there, real traction started. Artists aligned with our mission began reaching out. We even saw bedroom artists, talented people who had no platform grow into rising stars, some eventually landing major deals.
That’s when I knew this was serious. Rnbsoulsa was becoming bigger than I expected, so I made the decision to pause my personal music career and give my full attention to the platform. Through Rnbsoulsa, I’ve learned artist development from both signed and unsigned musicians. That knowledge is now shaping me for my own future in music.
Today, our structure is rooted in professionalism and innovation. When we work with artists, we give them the kind of support that signed artists typically receive:
• Press releases
• Playlist placements
• Articles and magazine features
• Website coverage
All of this strengthens their brand and helps them grow.
Our long-term goal is to become the biggest R&B blog, community, and press platform in Africa and eventually a major creative agency. We aim to host festivals with 20 or more African R&B artists performing. It will take time, but we’re not in a rush. We focus on quality, uniqueness, and intentional content.
This journey is not easy. Our team is small just three people but the work is exciting because the lessons, experiences, and impact make everything worth it.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
To be honest, since I was a kid, I’ve always been someone who wants to create my own path. Growing up, I was heavily influenced by Hollywood mainly because many of the people I admired were part of that world.
But as I got older, especially through social media, my perspective started to shift. I began seeing how many Africans in the entertainment industry are successful, talented, and making a global impact. That changed everything for me.
Now, my inspiration doesn’t come from one place. I’m inspired by the world as a whole the creativity, the culture, and the people who push boundaries everywhere, including right here in Africa.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There are days when I feel like giving up, because like every human being, I go through ups and downs. But the reason I don’t give up is because I believe I’ve found my purpose. I’m still learning how to fully grow into it and reap the rewards I’m meant to receive, but I know I’m on the right path.
If I were to give up today, I’d end up like so many people older than me who only talk about who they used to be people who accepted a version of themselves that no longer grows, even if they earn a good salary. I don’t want that for my life.
That’s why I refuse to quit. No matter how difficult things get, I know I can overcome anything. Life gives us certain lessons we must understand before we experience our biggest breakthrough. So I keep going, and I’ll continue to keep going.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
I’m a very quiet and observant person. I can talk a lot when I want to, but most of the time I’m quiet and enjoy being alone. That’s how I’ve been my whole life.
A lot of people misunderstand that side of me. They think I’m too serious, arrogant, or moody. But if they spent even a week with me, they’d realize that’s simply my nature calm, reserved, and observing everything around me.
I can be in a loud place where everyone is dancing and having fun, and I’ll be the one just chilling and watching. And the thing is, I’m actually having a great time just seeing people enjoy themselves. It might seem strange to some, but that’s really who I am.
The people who genuinely know me aren’t bothered by it at all they understand me, they know this is my personality, and that’s perfectly okay with me.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What will you regret not doing?
One of my biggest fears is not making my desires tangible. Yes, I want financial stability everyone does but I don’t want to reach the end of my life knowing I had dreams, creativity, and passion in my heart… and never brought them to life.
I’ve been around people who already have financial stability, people who are secure and comfortable, and even they tell me, “I wish I had your dedication.”
That always makes me think. These are people with financial freedom, yet they admire the very thing I sometimes question in myself my drive.
And that’s why I take my purpose so seriously.
Because not turning my desires into reality would haunt me.
It would hurt more than failure, more than setbacks, more than any struggle.
So no matter what, I’d rather try, create, and push with everything I have than live knowing I never gave myself a real chance.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rnbsoulsa.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cth_thahomie?igsh=ajRjcHBsNHQzNm9l
Image Credits
T.A.G The Studio
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
