Buhlebendalo Mda of The Soil fame has dropped her first solo album, Chosi, a project she has described as her expression of "I am my ancestors' wildest dreams".
Buhle graduated as a sangoma in 2016, and even though she hasn't publicly discussed her calling since then, she said her journey inspired the project.
"I feel like I have been hiding the truest part of myself for such a long time, and through this album I feel I am colliding with myself. I've been on a journey of self-realisation and I am loving myself anew.
"Chosi is the story of meeting my truest self. Chosi in my language is what you say to introduce a story.
"One thing my journey has taught me is to never hold back. I used to because I was afraid I would scare my fans away, that they would not understand how I am using my voice, or my way of being would come across as scary to the "bougie" people.
"I am sure the country would not get Chosi if it wasn't for my ancestral calling. It is that journey that opened up the parts of myself that created this work.
"My ancestors also gave me the boldness to share. I’m no longer afraid to be me and to show my African spirituality," she said.
Buhle Mda releases solo project: I’m no longer afraid to be me & to show my African spirituality
Image: Instagram/Buhlebendalo Mda
Buhlebendalo Mda of The Soil fame has dropped her first solo album, Chosi, a project she has described as her expression of "I am my ancestors' wildest dreams".
Buhle graduated as a sangoma in 2016, and even though she hasn't publicly discussed her calling since then, she said her journey inspired the project.
"I feel like I have been hiding the truest part of myself for such a long time, and through this album I feel I am colliding with myself. I've been on a journey of self-realisation and I am loving myself anew.
"Chosi is the story of meeting my truest self. Chosi in my language is what you say to introduce a story.
"One thing my journey has taught me is to never hold back. I used to because I was afraid I would scare my fans away, that they would not understand how I am using my voice, or my way of being would come across as scary to the "bougie" people.
"I am sure the country would not get Chosi if it wasn't for my ancestral calling. It is that journey that opened up the parts of myself that created this work.
"My ancestors also gave me the boldness to share. I’m no longer afraid to be me and to show my African spirituality," she said.
The songstress revealed that the shooting of The Soil DVD a few years ago was one of the places where she realised she wasn't cool with pretending to be someone she knew she wasn't.
In the DVD, Buhle came on stage wearing high heels but took them off mid-performance so she could dance.
"I remember when we recorded the DVD with The Soil, for the longest time I had felt compelled to wear high heels and whatever completes that look. But when I took of those shoes, I was introduced to myself and I realised that I feel alive with the shoes off. They were disturbing me to connect with my ancestors and honour them properly with the right dance at the time."
Buhle said she was ready to teach young people, through her life and story, what it means to be aligned with your spirits and to highlight things they need to unlearn in order to embrace who they truly are.
"The world needs to be educated about the spiritual space, particularly the African spirituality. There are so many misconceptions and it is up to us to change the narrative."
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