South African singer-songwriter Bongeziwe Mabandla has released Ndingubani, an 18-track album that examines identity and selfhood, marking his most introspective work to date.
The project arrives three years after amaXesha, which propelled him onto a sold-out global tour across cities including London, Paris, New York, Berlin, and Mexico City. Audiences unfamiliar with isiXhosa learned lyrics phonetically, drawn by the music’s pull.
A Transcontinental Journey
Speaking from Paris, where he now spends extended periods, Mabandla described the challenges of building a life away from South Africa. “It’s been tough, bra, especially last year,” he said. “I’m just trying to do different things, spend more time here, and see how life would be if I was out here a little bit longer.”
He cited language barriers as a persistent difficulty. “When I made the decision to be here, I was just like, it’s gonna be really easy, it’s gonna be exciting. But there are definitely things that I did not think about. Just the fact that I don’t speak French very well, it became the [biggest] problem. It’s been different: language, culture.”
Mabandla’s relocation echoes a lineage of South African artists who built careers abroad. Hugh Masekela left in 1960 and remained away for three decades. Miriam Makeba‘s passport was revoked the same year. The Blue Notes moved to London in 1964 and reshaped British jazz. Abdullah Ibrahim made Berlin and New York his home, and Duke Ellington produced his international debut. Mabandla’s circumstances are not exile, but the disorientation of adapting to a new environment resonates across generations.
Yet he also finds joy in the displacement. “It’s been a lot of excitement. I’ve seen so many things that I would have never seen, and experienced so many things I would have never experienced if I would have just kept my life the way it was,” he said.
Creative Partnership
The album continues Mabandla’s long-running collaboration with Mozambican multi-instrumentalist and producer Tiago Correia-Paulo. Their work together began with the 2017 album Mangaliso, a project that reset Mabandla’s career after a difficult period with an earlier label. Correia-Paulo, known for his work with 340ml and Tumi and the Volume, has shaped a sonic signature of sparse, electronic-tinged soundscapes that frame Mabandla’s acoustic guitar and Xhosa folk roots, allowing his lyrics to remain central.
The Meaning of ‘Ndingubani’
The album’s title operates as both a question and a declaration: “Who am I?” and “This is who I am.” Written during moments of reflection and uncertainty, the songs draw on childhood memories and the emotional toll of pursuing ambitions far from home.
Mabandla resists the idea of a fixed answer. “I don’t wanna say I have the clarity [of who I am]. It’s an ongoing thing, self-discovery: the more you grow, the more you understand yourself; the more you do things, the more you challenge your mind. You travel a lot. But I don’t think I could ever sit there and be like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve figured myself out completely!'”, he said, half-jokingly.
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