He shot into the limelight with a heartfelt vocal performance and an easy hand with the sound on Big Zulu’s single “iVolovolo”. From there, it’s been nothing but a successive chain of hits from record producer and singer-songwriter Xolani Tshabalala, professionally known as Xowla. With a production discography that includes stellar opera by Inkabi Zezwe, Mduduzi Ncube, Lwah Ndlunkulu, and Qwabe Twins, the Nkabi Records signee has spearheaded the rise and commercial appeal of the hybrid subgenre of newly-minted uShuni, which incorporates Maskandi, Mbhaqanga, and Isicathamiya.
The world-renowned Zulu adage “Umuntu umuntu ngabantu” is the monomer through which the fabric of the concept of ubuntu is built. The eMnambithi-bred beatmonger traced the beginnings of his journey as a producer to Good Samaritans who he used to attend the same college with. Through their generosity, which came in the shape of giving Tshabalala time with their PC, that was all it took for record producer to string together magical moments to grow the love affair he had with music through YouTube tutorials and self-discipline.
Xowla | SUPPLIED
“I wouldn’t say there was a person who helped me. You know, when you’re from emakhaya, you don’t really have anyone who’s smarter than anyone else. So, the only people I’d say helped me where those that borrowed me the laptop that I worked with at the time. They were from Bergville, and even though I’ve even forgotten their names, I remember that they lent me the laptop so I could learn.
“The information I used to learn was from YouTube, like how to record a song in a mini studio. I’d download recording programs using the same laptop. There would be days when they took the laptop since we all went to the same school at Ezakheni College. During those days when the laptop was with them, I wouldn’t be doing anything until they brought it back. Then I’d start from scratch with installing programs and learning. So I’d say, I’d went to the university of YouTube,” he said.
Xowla | SUPPLIED
Off the back of singles such as “Buyisa” and “Gibela” as a lead artist, iStallion recently dropped a summer vibes-inspired jam titled “Namhlanje”, featuring BET Award-nominated rapper and singer-songwriter K.O. Xowla recounted the experience behind putting together the song, largely with the assistance of iNkabi Records head honcho Big Zulu, whom he credited as a pivotal component in the song coming together. Among other things, the producer cited the process of the recording of the song as being the product of what he called an “online studio”.
“We had a recording camp at Big Zulu’s house in Durban, where we stayed for about two weeks. So I came with this song, and Big Zulu was there when we recorded it. After listening to it, he thought it was nice and suggested that we add someone else. When I asked who, he just asked me to give him the song, so I opened the space in the track. Then he brought the song back with K.O’s verse.
“I was scared, because I asked myself: ‘How could I have a legend like K.O in a song?’ So Big Zulu was a big part in the song because I never have been with K.O in studio. It came about as something we call an “internet studio”, where you record your verse where you are, and I record my verse where I am, then we assemble it into a song. That’s what happened,” he said, talking about “Namhlanje”.
Listen to “Namhlanje”:
Xolani ensconced himself comfortably into the niche of the KZN-inclined subgenre coined uShuni. Popularised by members of iNkabi Nation and elevated to new heights by Inkabi Zezwe – the duo of Big Zulu and Sjava – the novel sound is an aggregate of rustic country music including but not limited to the likes of Mbhanqanga, Maskandi, and Isicathamiya.
For Xowla, the goal has been to fuse these sounds into his music atop the anvil of his sound desk, forging something new while paying homage to the old which paved the way for contemporary acts.
“Most of the elements I use when I produce are from Maskandi. In Maskandi, we use acoustic guitars, kicks, claps, and hats; those are all from the Maskandi pack that producers use when they want to put something together. When I want to pick from Kwaito, I just use normal kicks and log drums.
“The sound I use when I produce for other people is something we call uShuni, which is a mixture of Mbhaqanga, Maskandi, Isicathamiya, and Afropop. So when I produce for Lwah Ndlunkulu, Siya Ntuli, Mduduzi Ncube, I pick something from all those elements I just mentioned to create uShuni. So when you hear the tu-tu-tu-tu plucks from the kalimbas and a bit of the electric guitar, that’s from uMbhaqanga. Then when we put everything together and use an Afropop tempo to deliver something. So, when it comes to producing, the sound that comes to my mind every time is uShuni because I’m mixing a lot of sounds into one song,” he said.
Xowla | SUPPLIED
The “Buyisa” singer recalled how the lack of soul and spirit within the soundscape of Zulu musicians stoked in him an interest to craft uShuni, a properly tailored sound tight in all the right places and fitting for the likes of Big Zulu, Sjava, and his record label mates.
“I didn’t have anyone who influenced me to make the type of sound I’m making. I came up in strange way because when I did, Big Zulu and Sjava were already famous. And while they were making music, they were not making the music I’m talking about, which is uShuni. They were just doing it with the Zulu language mostly and leaning on it. You see this when you listen to the songs before “iVolovolo” and “iMali Eningi”. It wasn’t exactly uShuni.
“I think the problem was that Big Zulu’s producer at the time was not from KZN. So he didn’t really know what was needed exactly. I mean, he could record and do all those things, but the guitars felt dry to me. So when I stepped in, I wanted to switch things up and make the KZN sound – the deep KZN sound. A sound where I knew Big Zulu, Mdu, Siya, and Lwah would all fit properly because all those guys are from KZN,” he said.
Watch “Umbayimbayi”:
Citing “uMbayimbayi”, “Voicemail”, and “Gibela” as his favourite songs since he produced them effortlessly, Xowla expressed his love for uShuni, letting it be known that he wasn’t just comfortable with the sound but that perfecting it was his primary objective. Yet, his love for the familiar didn’t translate to complacency. For Xowla the formula of growth as a producer has been of keeping to the grind and discovering new things along the way.
“The secret is to never stop working. The things that we use to record music get updated every month. So, it’s important to update and upgrade yourself so you can find new sounds. In Mduduzi’s album and my album that will drop later this year, you’ll find a whistle that Lucky Dube used in his songs. And so because of that my music now has a little bit of Reggae in it. That’s how you grow, upgrading yourself,” he said.
Watch “Gibela”:
