Zethu Mashika—the mastermind behind the music for Netflix’s new series GO!

​Besides directors and producers, those who are mostly celebrated are often the cast. But as the credits roll at the end of the show, we see an array of people that also contributed to the final project such as wardrobe, art design and stunt coordinators to mention a few. Arguably, one of the essential elements to any film or series is the soundtrack or score.

Film composer Zethu Mashika knows all too well about keeping audiences emotionally engaged through his compositions. This Benoni born film score maestro—also specializing in commercial music, title sequences and adverts—has been tugging viewers heartstrings since 2009.

His prolific expertise has featured in shows like Queen Sono, Rosemary's Hitlist, Gomora and as well in The Forgiven starring Forest Whitaker and Eric Bana. He continues to complement the cinematic experience in the latest high stakes series GO! which premiered globally on Netflix in March.  The feeling of a live band on set while watching the six-part series, is testament to Mashika’s film scoring exceptional skills.

GQ’s contributor Rolland Simpi Motaung, sat down with Mashika, to chat about how he managed to keep viewers enthralled through his film music prowess in Netflix’s GO!

GQ: You are a self-taught musician and producer, tell us more on when did your passion for music begin and how did you end up composing for films?

Mashika: My passion for music began in high school. I come from a musical family and music was the escape we all found to be the most fulfilling. In hind-sight, I remember how annoyed I would get when hearing people singing a song I knew, but with the wrong notes and breaks, and how I was able to audibly separate all the elements in a song. In high school we used to have 3310 Nokia cellphones, and they had a function where you could compose your own ringtones.

I made a bit of money composing those for my school mates. They would bring a walkman with a song they liked. I would listen and then compose the ringtone on the spot. That cost you R5. It was inevitable that I would push further and become an artist/producer. I got a chance to produce some music for the late Flabba, H2O, Zulu Mobb and later got to work on a track with RJ Benjamin. It was in 2009 that the film scoring bug bit me and I never looked back. 

GQ: The film scoring bug certainly did blissfully bite you, my brother. Having worked in numerous shows, how do you feel seeing your name on the credits and the audiences’ reactions to pulsating scenes complimented by your scoring? 

 Mashika: It always feels amazing. We spend a lot of time crafting the film and we become desensitized to it. When we observe people seeing it for the first time and their reactions, it kind of reinvigorates the feeling we got in the beginning when we first saw it come together. The audience is the final boss and if they are happy then we are always ecstatic to see that.

GQ: Since its premier audiences have definitely been captivated by GO!. What was your brief from the co-executive producers, Kutlwano Ditsele and Thuli Zuma on how to score the series?

Mashika: Kutlwano basically said: “Do your thing bro, just make it gritty wherever you can. But I trust you. Go get ‘em.”  You get the best out of your composer when you give them ownership of their contribution. They will surprise you and take it to a place that you may not have yet imagined.

GQ: There is a scene where the camera shows Joburg cityscape, then lands on Nthabi (Shalate Sekhabi), singing in her home studio, while the music links the two scenes, how was your relationship with the director Tristan Holmes in putting everything together?

Mashika: I actually only engaged with Kutlwano. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to visit the set. Schedules during post-production were all over the place and I believe Tristain was mostly overseas. So, it was just me and Kutlwano, which somewhat worked out for the better in this particular project. At times too many musical opinions can create some creative confusion because people’s verbal ideas and understandings of a topic usually don’t sound the same musically. 

GQ: Did you work or source music from other musicians or is it purely original music/scoring?

Mashika: All the music in the show is my work and vocally performed by me except for a track by ShabZi Madallion in Episode 4. I’ve worked with ShabZi on numerous occasions prior to GO! and I am a fan of his work. His track was perfect for the scene and he was happy to jump on. One of the reasons GO! was fun, because it allowed me to bring back the young producer/artist in me to do his thing. Commercial tracks are a lot of work, but worth it in the end.

GQ: You surely did your thing on this thrilling series. Typically, what are some of the challenges film composers face in the industry and how do you overcome such?

 Mashika: Trust is the biggest challenge. Film composition is foreign to most of us in South Africa, so it can be a hurdle to overcome to prove that you can do it. It took me years to build that trust and brand that I deliver through World Class Scores, and rightfully so, because Film composition is a huge responsibility. People usually don’t notice when it’s done well, because a good score blends really well with the show in a way that people just enjoy the show, but can easily lower the quality of the entire film/show when it isn’t done properly.

GQ: Thank you for your time, before I let you go, what tips can you share for aspiring film composers, where does one start?

Mashika: You start by being exceptional, meaning you must constantly practice, and develop your self-awareness. Empathy is the key to film scoring, because it allows you to understand your characters deeply, and that should always be your source of inspiration. 

 The GO! original soundtrack album is now available on all digital music platforms.

Words by Rolland Simpi Motaung