In the midst of an agonising pandemic, it erupted on every social media platform and in mainstream media—a line dance sensation started by some Angolan youths as they moved hypnotically with eating utensils in hand. Powering the dance was Nomcebo Zikode’s gospel-inspired Afrobeat song with DJ Master KG “Jerusalema”, her enchanting voice an engine of strength, unity and hope.
For Zikode, a South African singer, songwriter and musician, “Jerusalema” also came at a time when she was on the verge of giving up on a singing career. The song would become a mega global success and would see the artiste on an African tour in 2020 and a Euro/US tour when some borders re-opened in 2021.
Zikode graced the shores of T&T almost three weeks ago as part of Afrobeat and soca collaborations with local composer/producer Ian Wiltshire of David Rudder’s “Trini2 The Bone” fame, and singer/composer/producer Mical Teja for Carnival 2023. She is also carded to work with local soca artistes and participate in Carnival 2023 events hosted by I S Promo and Gemini Production. Ivory Coast vocalist Elody Amondji is also expected to team up with Wiltshire. Zikode also appeared on a morning programme and at a brief press conference before leaving T&T on July 15 to continue her world tour.
Hailing from Mpumalanga also called Hammarsdale in eastern South Africa, Zikode penned the colossal hit “Jerusalema” in her native Zulu language in late 2019 and DJ Master KG added his beats. With translated lyrics like “Jerusalem, my home, Save me! Join me, Don’t leave me here!”, it became the anthem of hope and solidarity of the pandemic, shooting to Number 1 in several countries, including in Zikode’s homeland South Africa, Number 1 on Billboard and Apple music charts, and going triple platinum in Italy and Switzerland and double platinum in Spain. On YouTube, the song has received combined views of almost one billion.
Prior to that, she burst onto the house music scene in South Africa in 2018 with “Emazulwini” on South Africa mix master DJ Ganyani’s “Ganyani House Grooves 10”. It topped a number of international charts and grabbed “Best House Record of the Year” in South Africa.
But years before, a starry-eyed Zikode had left her village and gone to Johannesburg with big dreams of making it as a solo artiste. She ended up becoming a background singer and studied IT as a plan B, always knowing that it was “not her thing”.
Although she had to remain tight-lipped about the details of her music collaborations so far, when the 36-year-old spoke with Sunday Guardian via Whatsapp voicenotes, Zikode stayed up late to complete the interview and shone through a light and amiable personality. It was much like the one she displayed in a video by MYOB Media Productions showing snippets of her arrival at Piarco on July 12, her introductions to officials, the public and staff at the hotel. Sporting her iconic crisp high fade medium top haircut—this time with a burst of bright green at the back—and decked in a white shirt and light blue distressed jeans, and white-rimmed sunglasses in the video, Zikode was bubbly as she spoke and joyfully, but elegantly dove onto her bed, kicking her feet into the air when she finally arrived at her hotel in the final clip.
She shared with Sunday Guardian her excitement about returning to Trinidad and Tobago.
“I love your accent so much. I feel like I can listen to it the whole time,” Zikode laughed.
The magnetic artiste also talked about her experience having her mega-hit and the response to her debut solo singles since “Jerusalema”. Having travelled to the US, Europe, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Togo and other parts of Africa, Zikode said she was open to doing musical collaborations with anyone as music heals souls.
Singing sensation and musician Nomcebo Zikode of South Africa
Q&A with Nomcebo Zikode
Ms. Zikode, firstly, congratulations on your mega success over the last few years. You have indeed been an inspiration. Please tell me, how did you enjoy your recent visit to our country, Trinidad and Tobago?
It was so amazing the way they will come to me, it was so warm. I can’t wait to go back. I feel like this is really going to be my second home, people will see me again and again.
Was there a particular cuisine or dish that you liked? What was the highlight of your trip (discovering the park named after the late great Nelson Mandela)? Was there anything that surprised you about Trinidad and Tobago?
Oh my gosh! It really amazed me to see a park named after Nelson Mandela because Trinidad and Tobago is very far, I didn’t know that they even know our late Nelson Mandela. So that was so amazing for me. And also, I really enjoyed your food. I remember I went to try doubles. Oh my gosh, it was so nice. I wish I can eat them again. Trinidad and Tobago people they can really cook. All the food that I ate there, it was just too nice, I must say.
Regarding your main reason for being here, briefly, how did your collaboration with Ian Wiltshire and Mical Teja for Carnival 2023 come about? Please share any details about how things are progressing thus far, for example, type of song, how many songs you plan to collaborate on, any song names/topics/co-artistes as yet?)
I did go to the studio. Everything went well. It’s a pity we didn’t have so much time. Our time was so limited, but it’s unfortunate that I can’t tell you everything around it, so it will be a surprise for you guys! I am hoping that you’re going to love the song.
What do you enjoy most about Trinidad and Tobago soca?
Oh my gosh! I just love the dance. The dance is just so nice. It reminds me that I’m African, and also I must say, the way Trinidad and Tobago people are speaking; they are just like they are singing. So it doesn’t (surprise) me that they are good singers. Their music, especially their dance is just so amazing.
Do you plan to play mas (dress up in a costume and hit the road as a masquerader) or will you more likely be performing and experiencing the vibes from atop a big (music) truck?
Oh yeah, that sounds so beautiful, so if ever I get that opportunity to do that I would actually love to incorporate that with my performance on stage. I am hoping that I would do it right. Maybe it would be nice also for me to sit and look at you guys. You’re the best in doing it and I would have more fun to look at you. But if I get an opportunity, we can do it together.
Turning to, of course, your mega-hit, “Jerusalema”, which has propelled you to such monumental international recognition, how did you come to write and sing it? You had the hit “Emazulwini” with DJ Ganyani in 2018 and from there, you ended up working with Master KG at a time when you were on the verge of giving up on singing?
I single-handedly wrote and sang the song from A-Z, so for me, this is something that I would never forget. This is something I would forever be grateful for.
I know that today there are so many Jerusalema that people are singing, there are so many re-makes. There is one also that Burna Boy jumped on. I’m loving that as well. It shows the power of the song. I don’t know whether it’s the melody that people love so much or the message, or the voice, but we are just so grateful to God for this song.
When I wrote that song I did with DJ Ganyani, it was also an amazing song. People loved it so much. I can sing this was the song that introduced me to people. I was a background singer but people didn’t actually know that I could stand alone, sing a song or write a song from start to finish, so this is what I did exactly as well in “Jerusalema”, I wrote and sang a song from start to finish alone which opened other doors for me.
When I wrote “Jerusalema” I didn’t know that the song was going to be this big, but I remember that I was at my lowest. I wasn’t okay musically because I wanted to sing so bad like I wanted to showcase my talent, be heard all over the world. I remember saying to God: You gave me this voice allow me to sing to your people, send the message across because I believe there was something burning inside me. As much as I was saying “the world”, I was thinking South Africa, but I think God wanted to show His power. It doesn’t matter where you come from. You can come from Africa, you can come from a village, but He is a God of goodness. Because some people think in order to have a great song, maybe you need to stay in America or somewhere. So I’ll forever be grateful for that.
What was the experience like making such a striking video for “Jerusalema”?
It was a good experience for me but remember when you’re doing something that you love. In my mind, I didn’t know that people would love it so much that it would go viral I was doing something that I loved, the same way in studio I was just doing something that I loved. But in my mind, I wanted people to get a storyline even though they didn’t know Zulu which is my home language. I was so worried that it’s getting late, maybe there are some parts that we didn’t get right: Oh my gosh, I wonder if people would understand what we are trying to say about a particular shot. The song is saying: My home is not here, take me to a holy place where I can find happiness . . . I’m so happy you guys loved the video.
What were your feelings as you saw people responding so favourably to it and realised it was becoming such a phenomenal hit in 2020, especially during such an unprecedented time in world history – the pandemic? Please add any feelings about your two solo hits following “Jerusalema”.
I think I had mixed emotions because as much as I was happy that I would see all colours of people dancing to the song, it came as a shock. So as much as I was happy, I was why did this come in a pandemic, I can’t even go out and sing to people because I was getting emails that people want me to come to their countries and celebrate the song with them, but I couldn’t go. I had mixed emotions. I was happy that the song was travelling, that the song was healing people during the hard times of COVID, but I was sad that I can’t travel the world.
About my other songs “Xola Moya wam” and “Bayabuza”, people loved my albums, the message was touching their hearts the same way “Jerusalema” is touching their hearts. You’ll find someone saying to me: I love the melody of “Jerusalema”, but the minute I went to Google the meaning it has made me love the song even more. My songs are like that, I love music with the meaning. Music that can last forever, that you can play after 10 years and still connect with it.
Is the village Mpumalanga (or Hammarsdale) where you grew up similar to any part of our country you visited? Please tell me a little about your village . . . and your family if you wish.
It’s not really the same because Hammarsdale is more like a coastal area and then in Trinidad you feel that you are on an island. There are those palm trees that you cannot find in Hammarsdale. I think what I can say is the same is that people who are living in your country and where I come from do have something similar which is humanity. I notice that people there (in T&T) have got so much love. I remember one stop where people were selling food on the streets, believe me I tried to give them money because I wanted to support them. They were like: No, no, no. They wanted me to taste everything without me paying that alone showed me the kind of people Trinidad and Tobago people are. They are just so loving, even from the airport, they’ve got big hearts.
Do you have any fond childhood memories you would like to share? What did you dream of becoming when you were a child?
My biggest memory is that we were happy kids, we used to play a lot. We were a generation of free kids. There wasn’t a feeling of being bored or like your elders would say don’t go outside, you’ll be hurt like today where some parents are very insecure about their kids going outside. Also, I was such a happy child, when you call me to sing for you, I would sing for you then and there. I would dance then and then. When I was growing up I knew and did say several times that I wanted to be a singer, I wanted to be an actress. If not, I wanted to be on TV. I am so grateful that I am living my dream.
Where do you get your keen fashion sense?
Oh my gosh! I’ll take this as a compliment, I didn’t know that I’ve got a fashion sense. Believe me, I’m not a person who goes with trends. For me, if something sits well on me, if something goes with my hat then I buy it. I don’t buy it because it suits the body of another person.
How do you keep your skin—and voice—so flawless and beautiful?
I drink a lot of water because I think water does help me. I always say to young ones it’s important to love our skin, our melanin. I love my skin, believe me. There’s nothing I can talk about in particular that I use, but I love to moisturise. I drink a lot of water which I believe helps my voice also.