For Mnqobi Yazo, “Nhlanhla” is more than a song about luck or fortune. It is a reflection of a difficult chapter in his life and the unexpected opportunities that followed its ending.
The KwaZulu-Natal-born musician, whose real name is Lindokuhle Mnqobi Msimango, released the single this August, marking the latest chapter in an evolving career that has seen him blend traditional Zulu sounds with contemporary music.
The release follows his July collaboration with “Nkanyezi” and his January 2024 album “Ubhoko”.
Speaking about the inspiration behind “Nhlanhla”, Mnqobi Yazo said the song was born from a relationship that left him questioning whether he was being valued for who he was rather than what he had.
“For me, ‘Nhlanhla’ came from a very personal experience of going through a difficult relationship and feeling like I wasn’t being appreciated because I was still trying to build my life,” he said.
“There was a point where I felt like my circumstances were being measured by what I had, rather than by the person I was becoming.”
From heartbreak to a blessing
While the end of the relationship was painful, Mnqobi Yazo said the period that followed brought unexpected changes to his life.
“When that relationship ended, things slowly started changing for me. Opportunities began opening up, my career started moving in a different direction, and I realised that sometimes what feels like a loss can actually be the beginning of something better,” he said.
That realisation became the emotional foundation for “Nhlanhla”.
For Mnqobi Yazo, the title represents more than luck. It speaks to divine timing, favour and gratitude, while acknowledging that some endings can ultimately make space for new beginnings.
“It’s about looking back at where you came from and saying, ‘Maybe that ending was necessary for this new beginning,’” he said.
An artist not afraid to experiment
As he prepares for what he describes as his most experimental album project yet, Mnqobi Yazo is also challenging himself creatively.
His music has become known for bringing together elements of Isicathamiya, Maskandi and Afro-Jazz with contemporary sounds. However, he believes preserving his cultural identity does not mean refusing to evolve.
“I don’t want to make the same album twice,” he said.
“With this project, I’m allowing myself to explore different sounds, different textures and different ways of telling stories.”
While the sound may evolve, the foundation remains firmly rooted in his Zulu identity.
“The language, the melodies, the storytelling, the way we express emotions and even the way traditional sounds are used, those things are part of who I am,” he said.
For Mnqobi Yazo, cultural preservation is about carrying tradition forward rather than keeping it frozen in time.
“I can experiment with production and still make music that sounds like it comes from where I come from,” he said. “I want people to hear something contemporary, but still feel that African spirit underneath it.”
From ‘Iscephu’ to sold-out venues
Mnqobi Yazo’s career has grown considerably since the release of his debut EP, “Iscephu”, in 2018.
The project eventually achieved platinum status, while his subsequent work has helped establish him as one of South Africa’s distinctive storytellers.
His Ubhoko Tour also took him to major venues, including Johannesburg’s Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City in 2025 and The Playhouse Company in Durban in 2026.
But for Mnqobi Yazo, the biggest milestone has not simply been the commercial success.
“I think the biggest turning point was when I started understanding that I wasn’t just making music anymore; I was building a career and a legacy,” he said.
While “Iscephu” introduced audiences to his sound, the years that followed forced him to become more intentional about his artistry.
“Performing at places like the Lyric Theatre and The Playhouse and seeing people connect with the music in those spaces made me realise how far the journey had come,” he said.
“The biggest change was probably within me; I became more confident in who Mnqobi Yazo is and what I represent.”
How acting shapes his music
Mnqobi Yazo’s storytelling is also informed by his work as an actor and producer, with each creative discipline giving him a different perspective.
“As a musician, I’m thinking about emotion, melody and how the listener will feel. As an actor, I’m thinking about characters, their motivations and what they might not be saying out loud,” he explained.
“As a producer, I’m thinking about the entire world around the story, the sound, the atmosphere, the arrangement and how everything comes together.”
Rather than separating the three disciplines, Mnqobi Yazo said they have become part of his natural creative process.
He credits acting in particular with helping him become more vulnerable in his music.
“Sometimes you have to step outside yourself and tell a story from someone else’s point of view,” he said.
“That makes the songwriting deeper because you’re not only talking about your own experiences; you’re also trying to understand other people.”
Taking Zulu storytelling to the world
As Mnqobi Yazo looks towards the next stage of his career, his ambitions extend beyond South Africa.
But his idea of going global does not involve diluting the culture that informs his music.
“I don’t want to go global by becoming less African. I want to go global because of how authentically African I am,” he said.
For Mnqobi Yazo, introducing international audiences to African music is also an opportunity to introduce them to the stories, languages, histories and emotions behind the music.
“With Zulu music specifically, I want people to appreciate the beauty of the language and the depth of our storytelling,” he said.
“Even if someone doesn’t understand every word, I want them to feel the emotion and curiosity that makes them want to learn more about where the music comes from.”
Ultimately, Yazo’s global ambition is simple: to perform for audiences around the world without having to leave isiZulu or his identity behind.
“A global breakthrough for Mnqobi Yazo would be being able to perform for audiences across the world while still singing in isiZulu and representing where I come from,” he said.
And if “Nhlanhla” is any indication, his next chapter is about embracing exactly that: growth without losing his roots.
IOL
