Zoë Modiga is exploring identity.
“It is a new venture that I am going into. Everything is primarily about the idea of identity and expressing that through the mother tongue.”
Her language, being isiZulu, will see most of her upcoming album written in it.
“It is a way to look at how we express ourselves and how we identify better with the music when it is speaking in the language that we understand and our bodies understand as well.”
The singer decided to take a step back after her first album Yellow: The Novel to better understand identity and what it means.
“Outside of language, identity carries so many things from the clothes we wear to the way we look at things and communicate with the world.”
Lengoma, the first single the songwriter has released from the coming second album, plays on the words ingoma (a song) and ubungoma (healing). She features Tubatsi Mpho Moloi.
“When you listen to it there is a repetition in the anthem. It is a way of meditating the fact that we own our song, our healing - who we are. It seemed like the best song to start the journey off with and reintroduce people into the new sound and the new philosophy.”
Modiga, a self-produced artist who gained fame after taking part in the singing competition The Voice South Africa in 2016.
“The response from Yellow: The Novel, when people heard the track Inganekwane (Zulu tale) it seemed to have a different reaction to the other songs. I got a lot of inspiration and encouragement to write a lot more in the mother tongue because of that.”
That response also had people comparing her to late singer Busi Mhlongo.
Zoë Modiga is on a new journey of sound with her latest release Lengoma.
“I wasn’t familiar with her music. I went into her discography and immersed myself in her philosophies and the things she stood for and that led to my own curiosity into that type of expression. Around that time I was also privileged enough to watch Thandiswa Mazwai perform.”
Mazwai’s bassist from that performance, Banda Banda, is the producer of Modiga’s album.
“Experiencing that energy that is so rare, but valid, led to a new love and a familiarity, because it wasn’t necessarily new themes, but going back to something you already know.”
The album, Inganekwane, will be released later this month.
“Umdali, the second single centres around our relationship with the creator and how our stories may not always have been accomplished by our ancestors. It is a love letter to all of us to look back and look into the mysteries of our spirituality and do its purpose outside of capitalism and materialism and these short-term goals. We are spiritual beings that need to access that higher most part.”
Her third single Intsha, is most relevant for youth month.
“Outside of commemorating 1976 and the youth that were fighting for our realities now, it was to pay homage even to the young people of today to realise we carry that resilience and changing force.
“We carry that watershed moment that is waiting to happen, especially with everything that has been happening. We all exist to bring change to the reality we live in. The rest of the songs will be revealed when the album comes out.”
Modiga hopes people will engage with her album their own personal space.
“We are all outside of our comfort zones. Many of us have been challenged, literally, out of work. We have been challenged to rethink so many things. There is a lot we need to engage in. We don’t have to be spectators to things that are happening. We can be kind to ourselves and engage with others in our reality.”
@mane_mpi