Busiswa – The poet turned music sensation

IN A compelling doccie-film Busiswa: An Unbreakable Story, poet turned gqom super star Busiswa Gqulu wears her heart on the sleeve as she narrates her life story with a clear message of hope, power and resilience.

She says: “The only thing that really bothered me was the fact that someone else decided to tell the world that I was being abused and it’s something that I hadn’t even internalised myself. First I feel ashamed, now everyone knows, and people would think how did you get yourself in that situation?”

She eventually found the courage to leave the abusive relationship.

“I left. I conquered that. The worst thing that happened that day is (was) that the psychotic person who abused you comes back and abuses you again physically after you’ve left. And then slut shames you, calls you (an) irresponsible mother, spins a web of lies so that people (would) believe that he’s not the monster that he actually is.

“The worst thing for me was having a child with an abusive partner. How do I raise my child so that he doesn’t become that person? The only way I can think of is to teach him that everything is worthy of your love and respect and hopefully he would love and respect women.”

In a tear-jerking moment in the documentary, Gqulu talks about growing up in a poverty-stricken environment, but through her love for education and God-given talent, she managed to overcome all the fireballs life was throwing at her.

In July Gqulu was featured on a song titled My Power of The Lion King: The Gift. contract ended last year, and I found myself in the studio with Mr Eaze.