Nomthandazo Ngwetsheni aka Nomty born on the 9th February 1991 is a South African singer. She was born in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape. Her name translates to “Prayer” in isiXhosa and she speaks three languages. She is an upcoming Afro-Soul vocalist, who refers to her music as “a fusion of soul elements of pop, jazz and African.”
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Her early childhood
She always knew that music was her calling, have loved to sing all her life. Growing up in a musical family, her Granddad being a composer, songwriter and conductor for choral choirs influenced her love for music at an early age.
Life was good for her as a child, she enjoyed putting on shows at home singing along to her favourite artists, but I always had a yearning of being like Brenda Fassie someone who would sing for the love of singing.
We all have life-changing moments and mine came in the form of a tragic train accident where she was travelling with her 3 sister-cousins and grandmother to Johannesburg. At the tender age of 10 she had to listen to her cousins suffer in agony of the train that had de-railed.
— Nomty_Mayine (@Nomty_Mayine) August 26, 2018
Her sister-cousins did not make it and the aftermath of this event (to this day) is like dealing with the aftermath of a Tsunami. 3 children gone and she survived. The emotional guilt that she has carried over the years has been a heavy one. Music went from being a love to being a form of escaping her reality. Life is not easy, the obstacle that we face at times seem virtually impossible to overcome. But in those words, lies the secret to making any dream happen – “It is Possible”.
She later joined the choir and was part of a group called Lusino performed at school talent shows, weddings, and parties and at small events around Port Elizabeth.
Nomthandazo Ngwetsheni’s music career
Nomty is a self-taught Afro Pop singer, songwriter, and composer who writes in her native language isiXhosa and currently in studio recording and writing more music. She’s currently signed under Mayine Entertaiments.
In July 2015, she left Port Elizabeth to follow her lifelong aspiration of becoming a singer in Johannesburg. The short amount of time from July 2015 to December 2015 has presented her with the opportunity to release her first single ‘Ziphelelephi’ which did okay on community radio stations. She entered SA Idols Season 11 and made it through to the call backs, Top Billing presenter search, Clash of the Choirs, The Voice and XFactor SA.
The year 2016 has was a busy year for Nomty she released her second single Mayine which in literal terms means Let It Rain, is a metaphorical message to many people who face challenges that at times seem larger than their capacity to cope. The song speaks about the blessings that she has received. Blessings that have fallen upon her like summer rain showers catching you unaware without an umbrella. These blessings are what have kept her going through the good and some of the darkest times in her life. These blessing have been at times the reason t face yet another day. The rain has made her chase her dreams and make them a reality.
She has performed at Flea Market Events around Johannesburg, Buffalo City Switch On Of Lights, and Vilakazi Street in Soweto, The International Hair Awards, The Gauteng Sports Awards and many more places around Joburg.
On the February 9th 2017 Nomty released her third single Ngempela ft SeanEgo produced by Nate Africa. It’s a love song which is doing really well on downloads and will be playing on radio stations soon. She is also featured on the album Anthentic Vol.1 by Hot’Tee.
Nomty wants her music to delight her audience with her uplifting music and inspiring lyrics. Her music is inspired by the life experiences she has overcome, being a train crash survivor and losing her sisters in the crash, and other people’s life stories and everyday life experiences. Her love and passion for music is evident when you meet her – she comes alive when music is involved! As she would say: “Music Is My Only Love.”
Image Courtesy: Supplied
Ntwana ntwana, I wish you all the best in your Music career. I am sorry to hear about the train incident I hope that you heal from the tragetic trauma. Come 2019 I hope to see you performing on Buyelekhaya Pan Music Festival.