Spearheading the new wave of Mzansi fusion, South African singer-songwriter Umzulu Phaqa has arrived with Zulu Pop that doesn’t request an audience but commands it instead. Usurping attention with her sophomore album, Volume 1, the genre-defying act’s place is one she’s been carving organically while serving as an incarnation of the greats that paved the way for her to be the unapologetic musician she has been and is continuing to become.
The concept of rewrites and the cycle of re-recording are two tenets that have been preached and practised by musicians across the globe. From novices to industry vets, the matrix has been approved by both camps. The rising fusion star talked about going against this convention for the making of her album, highlighting the importance of writing and recording with intention to minimise wastage.
“With Volume 1, we were all on a time crunch. I had it in mind, because of that, not to wait too long to release it as a full body of work. So I wanted to get things done faster and to put more speed into getting a certain amount of songs done without wasting any music. And because of that, the making of the album ended up being intentional. And the intentionality made its way into the album in the shape of the textures and the sounds I used. So we didn’t find ourselves in studio making three songs in a day, only to throw away two of them. Every single day was dedicated to doing a certain song with the express intention of it being meant to make it into the album,” she said.
Umzulu Phaqa | SUPPLIED
Striking a balance between taking breathers and pushing her music, Umzulu Phaqa zeroed in on some of the things she wanted to focus on with the remaining four months of 2026.
“At the moment, I am currently on rest mode,” she said, laughing. “But I’ll be back. One of the things I want to focus on when I’m ready to get going again is performing live. I’d also love to translate the traction on social media into actual numbers when it comes to sales and streams, as well as getting people to attend events. Those are things I would say we are actively working towards.”
She spoke about the complex interplay between the pressures of making good music and being mentally strong enough to navigate the ebbs and flows of being in the industry. The vocalist also shared how she deals with these issues.
Umzulu Phaqa | SUPPLIED
“Making music low-key gets harder as you go, and the pressure stacks up as time passes. That comes from the expectations people have about you based on what they heard from you before and how well you did your past music. They want you to be better than the last time, you know? To do things bigger and greater. There’s that comparison between where you started and what you have to offer now.
“There are times as an artist where you go through flop eras, or periods where your music dips and doesn’t do as well. It’s never always going to get better and better—there are rare instances when that happens. So I’m trying my best to remain unaffected and neutral about those kinds of periods. I just want to make music by playing my cards well and to my advantage with the time I have for now because I don’t see myself doing music for a very long time. I have other interests, and that keeps me level-headed against all the pressures, along with keeping the balance,” she said.
Umzulu Phaqa | SUPPLIED
A cautious figure, miserly with revealing extensive details of her life, Umzulu Phaqa spoke about living in the moment and the impact she wants her music to have on her listeners.
“Without revealing too much about where I am going and what I’m planning for the future, I hope that people are enjoying the music I’m putting out for them. I hope that they do appreciate the artistry. I know that what I make won’t be for everyone because there has to be a balance in the world—not everyone will like what I’m doing, but even that helps me because it keeps me on my toes,” she said.
Check out Volume 1:
