Singer Songwriter | South Africa
Nomfusi is ready for the upcoming season with an exciting new program and a remarkable album that reflects her musical roots in reviving the spirit and soul of Township sounds.
WAS DESCRIBED BY ROLLING STONE SOUTH AFRICA AS "THE SORT OF STORY HOLLYWOOD IS BOUND TO SNAP UP."
She was born in the township of KwaZakhele in the Eastern Cape and raised by her single mother named Kwazibani (“Who Knows?” in English) while her father was serving a 21-years incarceration sentence.A domestic worker by day, Kwazibani was a sangoma (African medicine woman) with a gift for music. Nomfusi would accompany her mother to the weekly sangoma rituals ("Intlombe") where she would develop her interest in music and artistic identity by dancing and singing for hours. Tragically, in 1998. Nomfusi was suddenly orphaned at the age of twelve when her mother died of AIDS. Nomfusi’s aunt took them in, but she also died of the same disease three years later. With remarkable inner strength, Nomfusi turned her situation around to become one of South Africa's brightest stars. Never one to pity herself, but teaching kids and adults "that life is about choices," and that "one has to overcome the poverty of the mind first”.
She’s not one to just stand behind a microphone and sing, but the self-taught singer and songwriter has become well known for her untamed stage performances all over the world. Nomfusi´s music is a beautiful mix of genres from joyful Township sounds with Maskandi guitars to Afro Pop, Afro Soul and beautiful soulful Ballads with a hint of Gospel.
Growing up in the squatter camps in South Africa circa 90’s, Nomfusi was exposed to the traditional XHOSA sounds and to the American Soul music which was widely played in prominent South African radio stations. In her music, the power vocalist tells evocative stories - stories seen through the eyes of a township girl about her life growing up in a shack. Stories from the inside of her mothers house, a tiny shack which Nomfusi wants to share with the world. While the Townships are widely associated with poverty, crime and reflecting times of race wars in South Africa. There are all kinds of stories to be found and cultivated for music inspiration. Music is the core of any township and keeps the people going. It is an essential part of everyday life from happiness to struggle.Nomfusi has given riveting performances across Europe and Canada in telling her stories through music at prestigious festivals such as WOMAD UK, performing with Angelique Kidjo at the AFRIKADEY Festival in Canada, and to an audience of more than 8000 at FMM SINES in Portugal and LUGANO JAZZ Festival. She opened for super star Lionel Richie at STIMMEN FESTIVAL in Germany and starred on stage with Hugh Masekela for South Africa's liberation day celebration at the renowned BOZAR concert hall in Brussels.
Not to be packed in a box, the tiny singer transforms into a pint size packet of dynamite the moment she holds a microphone in her hands.Nomfusi was chosen to portray the character of Miriam Makeba in the long-awaited film about the life of Nelson Mandela "Long Walk To Freedom." The film, which was released in early 2014, according to the Hollywood Reporter "it is the largest South African production ever mounted".
The SAMA nominated singer who is based in Johannesburg, was counted among the top ten rising stars on ETV Showbiz Report in South Africa. She has been featured in more than fifty publications, including Drum (who gave her 5 stars for her debut album), Rolling Stones Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Glamour and Destiny, and she has appeared on the cover of High Flyers, Mango Juice and The Sowetan newspaper. Nomfusi's life story has been captured widely in the media. Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records, who discovered Bob Marley, Angelique Kidjo and U2 said of Nomfusi after viewing a touching documentary of her life and music: "What a terrific young artist, her genuine concern for her community and beyond comes through SO strongly."
