AFTER being exposed to peer pressure for most of his life to fall prey to drugs and gangsterism, a local entertainer focused all his energy on music and is now not only a well-known singer but also has the ability to switch personalities, taking on the role of a feisty old lady with sharp wit without so much as blinking.
What most people also don’t know about Wayne Schultz, more commonly known by his stage name, Wayne M, is that apart from being an entertainer and having an alter ego called Aunty Nella, he is also a dedicated police officer, serving the SAPS for almost 20 years.
“Many people are very surprised to learn that I am a police officer, being an official for 18 years now,” Wayne M said with a laugh. “My alter ego, Aunty Nella, occasionally surprises audiences on stage during some of my performances with her comic tongue-lashing personality and love for singing, which brings about lots of laughter.”
Now, after years of sharing the stage with well-known South African artists, he will finally be releasing his long awaited first single, Forever and a Day, at the end of week.
While it may sound as though it had always been smooth sailing for Wayne M, who was born in Bloemendal but grew up in Hillside and Arcadia, getting to this point in his life wasn’t always easy. Thanks to his dad’s size 10 slipper that worked overtime and his Christian upbringing, he managed to stay focused on his goals.
“As a young boy, growing up in Cape Town and in the northern areas, I was exposed to peer pressure.
“My involvement in sport and cultural activities like drama and singing helped me to remain steadfast and refrain from all of these pressures. I must say that my strong Christian upbringing contributed hugely to always staying in line.
“Don’t get me wrong, I was a very mischievous boy and yes, thanks to my dad’s slipper to my buttocks now and then, I can now see that it wasn’t all in vain,” he said.
As part of wanting to give back to his community and assist other up and coming artists and the youth, he has a registered company, Wayne M Entertainment Pty Ltd.
“My goal is to obtain enough resources to empower our youth by being able to give classes in various music instruments as well as the production of music.
“Everyone has different talents and gifts and I would urge our youth, especially the community, to pray for them to obtain a spirit of discernment to enable them to choose friends that uplift and want what’s best for them,” Wayne M said.
“I want to tell our youth that if they have a love for music, to pursue it. Not everyone has the ability to sing, but there are many other avenues where they can be involved in the production when it comes to music, such as sound engineering, lighting on stage and the actual music production in studio. These are just as important to consider,” he added.
“Aspiring musicians and our youth: do not lose hope and do not lose focus even if things seem impossible.
“Perseverance is key to achieving success in and outside of school.”
