Rhythm City


Rhythm City is a South African television musical drama series produced by Quizzical Pictures. It is an e.tv original production that aired on the country's free-to-air television channel e.tv from 2007 to 2021. The story revolves around the trials and tribulations of people trying to break into the music industry. The series also aired on e.tv Ghana.

Main cast

Former cast

Production

Filming

e.tv announced the series in 2007, as a replacement to the cancelled youth-orientated soapie Backstage. While the series itself was hinted as being a youth-orientated series as well, producers of the series revealed that the focus would be on the cutthroat music industry. The series was filmed in Stage 6 of Sasani Studios's Highland North complex in Johannesburg, with footage from surrounding areas used.

Casting

Auditions for the series were held at Windybrow Theatre on 12 May 2007. Throughout its run, the series has been a victim of audition scams, which e.tv had responded to.

Impact on production

On 2 September 2014, a fire broke out at Sasani Studios. The fire partially shut down production for Rhythm City, alongside e.tv's other soapie Scandal! and M-Net's Big Brother Africa Hotshots. Unaffected by physical damage, production for the series resumed the next day.
In August 2017, production was paused for two days, due to the death of Dumi Masilela, who was killed in a hijacking attempt. A commemorative special on-screen memorial service episode was filmed and aired on October 18, following extensive consultation with Dumi's family.
In March 2020, Rhythm City along with other productions, went on production break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adhering to the president's call for a national lockdown. Production was paused again in June 2020 due to positive cases of COVID-19 recorded from staff, which e.tv confirmed in a press release. The set went under a thorough cleaning and production resumed later. During the entire period, new episodes which were pre-filmed continued to air on e.tv uninterrupted.

Controversy

In March 2012, e.tv pulled entries for its series, including Rhythm City, from the 6th South African Film and Television Awards. While the channel didn't give much reason, the awards ceremony revealed that e.tv was dissatisfied over the manner in which the awards were conducted. According to the channel, the action was necessary in order to achieve greater organisational cohesion.
In October 2013, e.tv pulled entries from the Royalty Soapie Awards for both Rhythm City and Scandal!, which took place on 2 November. According to the then group of head channels Monde Twala, the channel did not have sufficient information about the awards, its judging process and criteria, and overall objective.
In March 2016, the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa reprimanded e.tv and Rhythm City for showing a graphic episode on 20 October 2015, involving the strangulation of a female character. The channel argued that the series is meant for a mature audience, and that the scene only lasted a few minutes. The BCCSA ruled that e.tv had contravened the broadcasting code of conduct by showing content that was harmful to children in a timeslot where a large number of children would be part of the audience. The channel was not fined, and was ordered to display a message on how they violated the code.

Music

The original soundtrack for the series, including title sequence, was produced by Alan Lazar, under his Lalela Music Library, and Simon Sibanda, with several cast members and artists such as Bongani and Gemini Major. A selection of soundtracks was released through music streaming services Apple Music and Spotify, in 2015. A second title sequence was introduced on 23 October 2014, coinciding with the channel broadcasting in HD. The title sequence was created by Punch Club Studios. Music for the title sequence was done by Alan Lazar and Simon Sibanda, with vocals from Samthing Soweto. The sequence was filmed with aerial shots over Soweto, Alexandra and the Johannesburg CBD, and on the street level in and around Gandhi square. The series also accepted music submissions from upcoming and emerging artists.

Cancellation

On Friday, 21 November 2020, e.tv announced that the series would be cancelled. While no concrete reason was given for its cancellation, e.tv only stated that it was part of a "business strategy" by the channel. The final episode aired on 16 July 2021. Rhythm City was replaced with the telenovela House of Zwide.

Broadcast

The series premiered on e.tv on 9 July 2007. Premiere episodes were also aired on the now-defunct eKasi+. The series was also briefly uploaded to YouTube, e.tv's online catch-up service eOn Demand, and PCCW's streaming platform Viu, before being removed and added to e.tv's streaming service eVOD.

International broadcast

Across the African continent, the series was broadcast through the channel's eAfrica feed, as well as affiliate channels e.tv Ghana and e.tv Botswana. The series was also broadcast in Namibia on NBC.

Reception

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
20093rd South African Film and Television AwardsBest Supporting Actor in a TV SoapMduduzi Mabaso
20093rd South African Film and Television AwardsBest Supporting Actress in a TV SoapNokuthula Ledwaba
20093rd South African Film and Television AwardsBest Actor in a TV SoapJamie BartlettWon
20093rd South African Film and Television AwardsBest Actor in a TV SoapZenzo Ngqobe
20093rd South African Film and Television AwardsBest Directed SoapRhythm City
20093rd South African Film and Television AwardsBest Ensemble CastRhythm City
20093rd South African Film and Television AwardsBest Dressed by Public VoteKeabetswe Motsilanyane
20093rd South African Film and Television AwardsBeat Comic by Public VoteMpho Molepo
20093rd South African Film and Television AwardsBest Villain/villainessJamie Bartlett
20093rd South African Film and Television AwardsBsst Soapie by Public VoteRhythm City
20104th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Supporting ActorZenzo Ngqobe
20104th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Supporting ActressConnie Chiume
20115th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Director in a TV SoapRhythm City
20115th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Writer/Writing TeamRhythm City
20115th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Ensemble in a TV SoapRhythm CityWon
20126th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Director on a TV SoapHerbert Hadebe, Eric Mogale, Kekeletso Mphuthi, Sacha Clelland-Strokes
20126th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Actor in a TV SoapMduduzi Mabaso
20126th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Ensemble on a TV SoapRhythm City
20126th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Writing Team on a TV SoapCharlie Sapadin and TeamWon
20126th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Technical Team on a TV SoapRhythm City
20126th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Art Direction on a TV SoapKagiso Malefane
20126th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Post Production Team on a TV SoapRhythm City
20126th South African Film and Television AwardsBest TV Soap by Public VoteRhythm City
20137th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Ensemble Cast in a TV SoapRhythm CityWon
20137th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Writing Team of a TV SoapRhythm City
20137th South African Film and Television AwardsBest TV Soap by Public VoteRhythm City
20148th South African Film and Television AwardsBest TV SoapRhythm City
20148th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Writing Team of a TV SoapCharlie Sapadin
20159th South African Film and Television AwardsBest TV SoapRhythm City
20159th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Actor in a Lead RoleJamie BartlettWon
20159th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Achievement in ScriptwritingCharlie Sapadin, Anthony Akerman, Darryl Bristow-Bovey
20159th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Achievement in SoundWillie Niewoudt
201610th South African Film and Television AwardsBest TV SoapRhythm CityWon
201610th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Achievement in Directing - TV SoapEric Mogale, Heather Cooke and Siyabonga MkhizeWon
201610th South African Film and Television AwardsMost Popular TV Soap by Public VoteRhythm City
201610th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Achievement in ScriptwritingNeil McCarthy, Thishiwe Ziqubu, Byron Abrahams, Craig Freimond
201610th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Achievement in CinematographyHein van Zyl
201610th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Achievement in EditingRavi Desai-
201610th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Achievement in EditingRavi Desai
201711th South African Film and Television AwardsMost Popular TV SoapRhythm City
201812th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Supporting Actress in a TV Soap/TelenovelaMapula Mafole
201812th South African Film and Television AwardsMost Popular TV Soap or TelenovelaRhythm City
201913th South African Film and Television AwardsBest TV SoapRhythm City
201913th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Actor in a TV SoapJamie BartlettWon
201913th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Achievement in Art Direction/ Production Design - TV Soap/TelenovelaKagiso Malefane
201913th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Achievement in Make-up and Hair - TV SoapLucy Ngwira
202014th South African Film and Television AwardsBest TV SoapRhythm CityWon
202014th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Actress in a TV SoapMapula Mafole
202014th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Actor in a TV SoapJamie Bartlett
202014th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Supporting Actress in a TV SoapPetronella Tshuma
202014th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Supporting actor in a TV SoapMncedisi ShabanguWon
202014th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Achievement in Directing in a TV SoapEric MogaleWon
202014th South African Film and Television AwardsMost Popular TV Soap/Telenovela by public voteRhythm City
202115th South African Film and Television AwardsBest TV SoapRhythm CityWon
202115th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Actress in a TV SoapPetronella TshumaWon
202115th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Supporting Actress in a TV SoapMapula Mafole
202115th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Achievement in Directing in a TV SoapEric Mogale
202115th South African Film and Television AwardsBest Achievement in Scriptwriting in a TV SoapZelipa Zulu
202115th South African Film and Television AwardsMost Popular TV Soap/TelenovelaRhythm City