Nomcebo Zikode's music career is soaring. The singer who has become one of the country's most sought-after vocalist, has managed to keep fans across the world captivated with her electrifying voice.
Nomcebo whose career as a backing vocalist spanned for 15 years, has grown in leaps and bounds as a musician as she can now handle the fickleness within the entertainment industry and work on her own projects.
ZAlebs recently had a chat with the singer about her new album and her soaring career as she continues to fly Mzansi's flag high in the global music industry.
Nomcebo recently dropped her first album titledXola Moya Wamand it has been keeping many on their feet as groove spots are open.
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The album was inspired by her emotions on the Covid-19 lockdown period. Nomcebo says she wanted to ask God to calm down if we we are being punished for our sins.
Xola Moya Wam single recently went gold, proving that she is a force to be reckoned with.
"I did the song because as we are on lockdown, I was scared that maybe all that is happening because of our sins, so I was telling God that my soul wants to do better, but the world's problems are overwhelming and life is difficult, and that when I sin it is not because I'm disrespecting him, but it is because we live in the world and I make mistakes too,"
Nomcebo says working on the song was smooth sailing and she finished it quickly than she had imagined "It was very quick and flowing, maybe it's because I wrote the song at home and I went to Master KG and then we recorded the song," she adds.Image Cred: Youth Village
The album features the likes of DJ Tira and Makhadzi, and she says collaborating with them was amazing. The singer says she is happy about her success because she has been praying for it.
"I'm so happy because this is something I have been praying for and today It is coming to light. I was praying after so many years of being a backing singer, asking God to give me a chance, because one day if I leave on earth what will I say i did to him on earth because I know nothing but music. I see others he gave them professions they are lawyers and nurses, and the only thing I wanted was music that I came out holding in my mom's womb."
Image Cred: Thrill NG
Nomceba is the girl she thinks she is and Media personality Bonang Matheba and songstress Lady Zamar recently gushed over her music. The singer says she is grateful to see Queens supporting her.
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The musician says she has never thought she was going to be this famous, and she says only people tell her that she is big.
"I don't see that, even today it's people who tell me that I am big. I'm still the same Nomcebo I was,"
Nomcebo says there was a time when even she considered of pursuing a career in teaching but she did not, and she says her secret to success was working hard.
"It's pushing very hard even though it's very hard there were times I thought maybe this thing is not happening and I should leave and I carried on more than anything it's being patient and working hard because you need to pray and work hard."
Nomcebo believes that God has his own timing, hence you should not rush things sometimes.
"People around you will never understand they will say you have been working and still you don't have a car and they don't understand that music is a calling and a calling you don't just leave it."
"At first I was scared that I won't be able to write it and when I got to the studio because there was no writer. I asked Master KG to give me the beat so that I can write the song at home. Master KG was like no, are you not the one who writes your song? and I said it's me and he said why are you scared now?"
She says he asked the producer to leave the song playing and she started writing it.Image Credit: News 24
"I honestly did not know that the song would be big but I went home around 1 am because we were working at night, and when i woke at home in the morning. I went to the gym while driving I played the song and I had goosebumps. I had a feeling that i couldn't explain and even the car wound swerve and I remember crying and saying this is going to be a good song and it was not even complete and I said God you just visited me and you must also visit Master KG,"
The singer says although she is not someone who goes to church every Sunday and she makes mistakes, she believes in God "I used to hear people saying God visited them and i used top be like ahh you are starting, but it happened and I heard God saying this will be a big song and a miracle happened."
She says by then the song was not complete and she went back to the studio to complete it . She says after they had completed it Master KG asked her if the song would be his next hit because he dropped Skeleton Moves and he wanted another big single and she gave it a stamp of approval.
Jerusalema recently surpassed 100 million views on YouTube and it was announced as the most Shazamed song in the world.
"I'm so happy, you know I look up to up the the sky and say thank you, you have answered my prayers. I didn't knew that you would answer my prayers without having to go to any pastor and pray for me. I receive interviews everyday from local and international platforms like BBC News and it's something I never thought it would happen."
"People judge you because of the family you come from now I am an ambassador to the world with my English which is not good enough."
Image Cred: News24
Nomcebo says she is grateful to DJ Ganyani who gave him a chance to be on his song which was her big break in the industry.
"I was just a backing singer and no one really noticed me but for DJ Ganyani to give me an opportunity it was big to be on his album its something big not everyone can get and I am grateful."
The singer says working with Master KG has catapulted her career to even greater heights.
"He is an amazing beat maker he understands me and his beats touches your heart that is why I enjoy working with him."
Asked about how the lockdown period has affected her she says:
"It affected me a lot and when I wrote Xola Moya Wam i was like God you can give me a big song like Jerusalema and then you shutdown the world because I need money. When I wrote Xola Moya Wam, I just cried and and I sang the song and I told him that he must calm down because I see that he is angry."
She says the lockdown has affected her because she can't tour, but she is grateful that she was able to write her own album instead of always being featured.
"God said relax I want you to work on your album during the lockdown so that you can console people during this time." She says as their music is being streamed a lot it means that there are more chances of them to secure the bag.
"My focus is to push my album more this year. I wouldn't say l want it to be like Jerusalema, but I want to push it because Jerusalema on it's own was a blessing from God and he blesses us in different ways."
She says she has been receiving international bookings from other countries but due to restrictions on internationals she is unable to travel.
Nomcebo who was appointed by the honourable Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa as the Ambassador To The World under the DSAC Cultural Diplomacy Programme, says the love she has been receiving from the rest of the continent and Africa has been overwhelming.
"I see messages from across the world people slamming me for speaking in Isizulu when I do interviews saying they want to hear what I'm saying. The love has been amazing,"
Nomcebo says she is someone who prefers to keep her private life. She says she has never hidden the fact that she is off the market.
"I'm not a person who likes to discuss problems with other people and when someone has fought with his husband they write about that I have never hidden that I have a husband and 2 kids, and I just want people to know about my music than my private life."
Weighing in on the debate of #VulaPresident she says the president needs to do something for entertainers "Some of us stays in flats and some don't have husbands who are working, so I wish the government could do something."
The singer says she will release Xola Moya Wam music video soon and the single recently reached gold status.
