Following the success of her singles on national radio stations, singer and songwriter Nomfundo Moh has released her debut album, Amagama. The album aims to make her a household name following her latest single, Phakade Lami.
The entire 13-track debut studio album was written by the 21-year-old. She started the process in 2020 during the lockdown but said she wasn't aiming for anything at that point. She was just inspired to make music.
"I didn't think much about it at that time. I was just inspired to write and make music, so I did. Little did I know that I would have a full body of work that people would consume two years later. It is all so surreal," said the bubbly muso.
The album covers a range of topics, starting the conversation on spirituality with a single like Umthwalo, which speaks about people's burdens. There is also Lilizela in the first half of the album, and then an exploration of love with tracks like Sintsha, which features Naxion Cross and Lady K and Jikeleza. But it is the outro that she primarily connects with.
"The outro is titled Amagama, and I wrote it after I titled the album. That is the song where I express myself wholeheartedly about how speechless I am about all that has happened. So I am giving thanks to my supporters, my ancestors but most importantly, God, for how far I have come and how quickly it has happened for me.'
"With Amagama, I get to showcase my writing skills, and I am welcoming people to that raw part of my creative space. Using words to connect and to give thanks," she said.
Noh's star didn't take long to rise. It’s been blowing up with every song that she has released thus far, and she has subsequently managed to create a strong brand for herself.
She did this all while completing her qualification as a social worker at the University of KZN’s Howard College Campus. She will be graduating in April — making 2022 a year of celebrations for her.
"When I look at both of these passions of mine, being a social worker and singing, I see them both intertwining. Firstly, I love people, and hence I chose this particular course - that helps people deal with life. But now that I am doing music full-time, I find that the work continues because I want to continue healing and connecting with them. My album does just that, looking at the world, and I wrote to it. So it is an album that anyone can listen to and find themselves in," she said.
Her successes with Phakade Lami, which features her music idols, Sha Sha and Ami Faku, further cemented her star power. The music video hit 4.5 million views on YouTube in just three months, and she was announced as a two-time number one Metro FM Top 40 charting artist.
"I must say I was overwhelmed by all this in the beginning. It just gets too real too quickly, and you have to play catch up to how fast your star rises. But now I am more settled. I think it is because I am more sure of what it is I want, and that is to connect and heal people. It is all I have ever wanted," she said.
Although she has just released her debut album, she is already working on her second album.
"It may seem a little bit ambitious or rushed, but that is what I am about, music. I want that when people have digested this album, there must be something else awaiting them," she said.
Sunday Independent