If you ask Umzulu Phaqa, born Sphiwe Moya, what genre she makes, she will give you an answer. Ask her whether she wants to stay inside that genre and the conversation changes.
“Nah, who wants to do that anyways,” she said.
It is a fitting response for an artist whose new album, “Volume 1”, moves between contemporary sounds of Afro-fusion and what she describes as Zulu pop.
The eight-track project is rooted in isiZulu and draws from everyday experiences, with Phaqa writing about love, resilience, infidelity and other subjects that do not always make it into mainstream pop. She is also comfortable bringing in less expected themes, including witchcraft.
For the 26-years-old singer-songwriter, and storyteller from KwaZulu-Natal, “Volume 1” is not just about mixing sounds together, it is about refusing the idea that an artist has to settle on one version of themselves, in order to make music that people will listen to.
“I just love music and I love to make it. Key word being music. It’s so vast and diverse, why would I ever box myself,” she asked.
Her views on creative freedom also shaped what she wanted the album to communicate as a full project. After introducing herself to listeners through singles and collaborations, Phaqa wanted “Volume 1” to show a side of her artistry that could not necessarily be captured by individual songs.
“Music is vast and there are no rules. When it comes to selling and trying to make it mainstream, I fear that we may have a one-dimensional idea of what that looks like.”
She wants to prove that you don’t have to follow a specific formula to make popular music. She believes that artists shouldn't feel pressured to fit into a single, narrow category just to succeed. Instead, she aims to show that you can stay true to your own unique style and language while still creating music that connects with a wide audience.
“I would like to break that perspective by showing everyone that you can be in your own lane and still be just as great,” she said.
This mindset is clearly reflected in her album. Phaqa doesn't try to force her music into a single box, and the album is better for it. Her songs sound unique and authentic because she isn’t just following a standard formula and you can never anticipate what the next song will give you.
Her use of isiZulu was one part of that identity that she approached very deliberately. For the artist, making music in her own language is tied to a much longer conversation about how African artists have historically been expected to present themselves to the world.
“For the longest time we were told that being African and vernacular was not cool to be put on world stages,” Phaqa said.
She believes the rise of amapiano has helped shift some of those attitudes, particularly around the global appetite for African music.
“We were ashamed to be ourselves in front of the world but with the rise of amapiano etc, being African is where it’s at,” she added.
This change is important to Phaqa because Volume 1 keeps her modern music closely connected to the culture and language it comes from, instead of separating them.
“This was important for me as it was a bold statement to say that our language and heritage are just as deserving to be seen and heard.”
You can hear this in her writing. She doesn't just sing about romance. Her songs also cover the messy parts of relationships, faith and the everyday experiences that shape the lives of ordinary South Africans.
It is meaningful that she calls her music “Zulu pop”. There is already a wide range of pop and Afro-pop coming out of South Africa, however she is carving out a space that is specifically connected to isiZulu without treating the language as a limitation.
She is also part of a younger generation of artists who are becoming very comfortable with moving between sounds and making music that does not necessarily fit into the categories audiences are used to.
“I think we are braver. If Brenda Fassie were alive she would love us so much. We do exactly what we want and the way we want it. True Freedom.”
That freedom has particular meaning for Phaqa because her own relationship with the music industry has not always been easy.
Before “Volume 1”, she had stepped away from music after opening up about the financial realities of trying to build a career as an independent artist. Despite releasing music, collaborating with respected artists and receiving support from people in the industry, making a sustainable living from music remained difficult.
Her return with “Volume 1” therefore comes after a period of questioning whether she wanted to continue at all. However, she has not returned by trying to make herself more conventional. Instead, she is putting more weight behind the things that make her different.
“I hope that when people look at me they experience that freedom. To not conform to these pressures and unspoken industry rules. You can be unique in your own way and still thrive,” she concluded.
Ultimately, the main message of her album is that she wants the freedom to explore different musical styles without ever losing the language, personal stories and identity that make her music unique.
nomathamsanqa.sithathu@nationalmg.co.za