SaveHxpe's ‘It Ain't So' single tells it as it is

The Citizen

4 days ago

From the quiet familiarity of Lesotho to the relentless pace of Johannesburg, Tshepo Motolo, who goes by the stage name SaveHxpe, has been making noise on his terms.
Now based in Lonehill, the rising artist uses music to reflect not just his surroundings, but his inner world, a world he lays bare in his latest single, It Ain't So.
'The message behind It Ain't So was born out of frustration and reflection. I wanted to paint a picture of the things we tolerate because of the image people build around us. It's a rebellious declaration, but also a plea for honesty.'
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Honesty isn't just a theme; it's the foundation of Motolo's lyricism. Whether he's tapping into memory or metaphor, each bar carries the weight of something real.
'Every bar needs to mean something. I think that's why people connect, they can tell it's not made up.'
His musical roots run deep, shaped by family and the sounds of home. Sundays were a soundtrack of jazz, Miriam Makeba, and Tupac, moments that taught him how to tell stories with feeling.
'I approach each track like it's a conversation at the dinner table, real, raw, and rooted,' he said.
It's no surprise that Motolo's sound is difficult to box in. He moves between R&B, hip-hop, and kwaito with ease, never forcing the blend, just feeling it.
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'I don't think too much when I'm creating. I might ride a boom bap beat with a kwaito bounce and sing the hook in a soft falsetto. It's all natural to me.'
Still, the road hasn't been without its doubts. As an emerging artist in a saturated industry, Motolo said self-belief remains the biggest challenge.
'There are moments when it feels like no one's watching. But I keep going because I remember the kid I was when I started. I remind myself: I have led to this point. And I'm not stopping now.'
The City of Gold has tested him, but also sharpened him. The move from Lesotho wasn't easy, but he said it was necessary.
'Joburg moves fast. But that pace forced me to step up. It exposed me to new stories, new sounds. I've grown a lot since the move. Lesotho is always home, but SA sharpened my edge.'
When he's not in the studio or performing at local favourites like The Maracana in Sandton, Motolo said he finds balance in the quieter corners of the city.
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'I enjoy low-key parks for writing. I like the mix of chaos and calm in this city.' With new music on the way and international collaborations on the horizon, Motolo said he is leaning deeper into risk and storytelling.
'More growth, more risk, more truth. I've been experimenting with production that feels cinematic and writing that cuts deeper… Just know, it's different.'
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