Johannesburg - Ngumama is Vusi Nova’s tribute album to his mother.
The 12-track album has already been receiving great reviews and fans of the singer are eager for more.
“My mom passed away in 2005 at the age of 40. She was still quite young. For me it was a matter of wanting to show people the kind of person she was through my music. I sing about love and all of those beautiful things because I got all of that from my mom, so I wanted people to get the sense of who she was and I hope that comes across through the music,” said the award-winning musician.
On the album, Nova has featured three people who are important to him – his best friend Somizi Mhlongo, his idol Ringo Madlingozi and his new friend in music, Dumi Mkokstad.
“The song I did with Dumi, Yibanathi, when I wrote the song he just popped up in my mind. I think he has an incredible voice and I called him, sent the song, he fell in love with it and the friendship started there.
“With Bhut’ Ringo, he is my idol; since I was at home in PE, I’d watch this man on TV and say that is what I want to do. Just to be in a space where I then meet the person who has been my idol for all these years and then actually have a friendship with him is something else.
“We have been talking about doing a song for the longest time so it was one of those things where the timing was perfect.”
Nova said it came naturally to feature his best friend Mhlongo as they always sang together.
“We sing all the time and we always joked about doing a song together. I thought of doing the song Ntandane by his aunt (Busi Mhlongo) with him. It made sense because we both lost our moms and he got into the studio and killed it.”
For people who will be discovering the music of Vusi Nova for the first time, all he wants is for them to get an understanding of who his mom was.
“I hope that comes across. Secondly, every time I talk to people they tell me that it is through my music that they were able to make decisions, whether it is to stay or change a partner. For me that is beautiful and I hope that I continue doing that. Helping people through whatever it is that they are going through.”
He added that music has also been therapeutic for him over the years. “I don’t like to talk a lot. Music is the best way for me to express myself.”
The album cover is a painted picture of a picture of Nova and his late mother. Inside the sleeve he wrote a beautiful message about how music and his support base have helped him in this journey.
“I am … recording another album, but I don’t want to give a lot away. It will be called As’phelelanga.”
The Star