Cover Story – Ntokozo Mbambo On Living A Life Of Purpose
It’s no exaggeration to say that NTOKOZO MBAMBO, 33, has changed the gospel music landscape. Here, the star reveals the hurdles she overcame to lead a life of purpose
Few people can claim to have answered their calling while they were still teenagers. For many, those years are defined by rebellion and a reckless sense of adventure. Not so for multi award-winning gospel star, Ntokozo Mbambo, who was only 15 years old when she became the youngest singer to join the Joyous Celebration (JC) gospel ensemble. While her peers were preoccupied with pop culture and the latest fashion trends, Ntokozo was bound to be wearing i2-piece, making her way to church for praise and worship. “Whether we were going to church or a wedding, my mother would make me wear
these 2- or 3-piece suits, with stockings and kitten heels. I’d be so angry at her! I also wanted to look young, but she refused, saying I wasn’t like the other kids. She’d tell me that God had a special plan and purpose for my life,” the singer recalls. “She’d say I needed to be trained to appear and behave accordingly while I was still young because of my calling. My parents treated me in the way that they saw me in the future,” Ntokozo adds.
IN THE BEGINNING
“I’m actually an introvert,” the singer says. “Many people don’t believe me when I tell them that I’m quite reserved, bathi nginamanga!” This revelation doesn’t come as a surprise. In the morning of the cover shoot, I nearly walked right past Ntokozo, who was seated on a couch in a corner, cap on her head, looking very discreet. It’s only when she lifted her head to respond to my greeting that I realised that seated all alone, was our cover star. “You meet all kinds of different people in this industry. I think what has kept me in it this long is because of my passion for music. I love, love, love music,” she explains. Being reserved doesn’t mean she’s a loner – Ntokozo beams
Sometimes we delay responding to our call because we’re comfortable with where we are.
as she describes her squad of friends, whom she calls her Prayer Warriors. “Those are the close friends I can call at anytime of the day and say ‘Lalelani girls, I need prayers!’”
Post Ntokozo being discovered and offered the JC opportunity, her parents struck a deal with her. She was to maintain her high grades at school, or else… “They told me they wouldn’t expect anything less. If I failed to retain my status as an A-student, they’d take away JC,” she recalls. Knowing what was at stake, Ntokozo worked hard to balance her academic obligations alongside her singing commitments. “But, it wasn’t all that bad. Back then, JC used to go on tour during the holidays, so for the most part, I was a normal scholar and didn’t miss out on too much,” she says. But then varsity came. Several years after belting out songs alongside arguably the best gospel choir in the country, Ntokozo had made a name for herself and had started getting bookings. And yet, she went on to enrol for a BA degree in psychology and music at UKZN. In her second year of studies, she chose to focus only on music, and switched to a Bachelor of Music. However, she didn’t get to complete that qualification – her music career was picking up, and attending classes proved impossible. “I will finish it soon. I’m getting closer to that moment where I feel I can go back to school and complete my degree,” she states resolutely, adding that instead of the BMus, she’ll revert to the BA degree in psychology. “I’m fascinated by our behaviour. I love to observe people and how they relate to others. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not umam’Gobhozi! I’m just intrigued by our behaviour,” the muso explains with a chuckle.
‘MY FAITH PUT TO THE TEST’
By the time Ntokozo decided to leave JC, she was married to her sweetheart, producer and songwriter Nqubeko Mbatha, whom she wed in May 2008. Before taking the plunge as a soloist, the songstress already had a couple of projects to her name. She first tested the waters with Bambelela, a debut album she released back in 2001. Six years later, Nqubeko produced her first live DVD offering, titled Keep On Believing, which went on to garner her a 2007 Metro FM Music Award nomination in the Best Gospel category, as well three nods at the Crown Gospel Music Awards in 2008. “Deciding to leave JC felt like being a young adult, who’d finally decided to move out of her parents’ house to find her own apartment,” she explains, adding that she needed to find her own feet outside JC. “It was hard because the security I was accustomed to was gone. The monthly income I was used to was gone. I had to put on my big girl panties, and bereka!”
The first step after leaving JC, was to do what she does best – sing. “I recorded the songs at the Lyric Theatre in 2012 after giving birth to my first daughter in 2011. In fact, I think that was one of the biggest motivating factors for me to pursue my solo career – I was a mother, and needed to work on my own stuff. Pregnancy made me re-evaluate my life,” she says. Ultimately, Ntokozo continues, her destiny was calling. “You know, sometimes we delay responding to our purpose because we’re comfortable with where we are. We’re comforted by the security of where we are. But, I had reached a point where I felt like God was forcing me to answer my calling. And He used my daughter to open my eyes,” she says.
Creatively, Ntokozo nurtures her talent by immersing herself in the Word of God, which is the source of her lyrics, melodies and messages. “It’s in God where I find my identity and my voice,” she states. “As people, we sometimes hang out with ‘faith killers’, and we end up aborting our dreams and aspirations because seeds of doubt have been planted in our minds,” she says. “When you’re about to birth something new, it’s imperative to surround yourself with like-minded people who’ll push you to achieve your dreams,” the muso adds.
Filled, Ntokozo’s breakout album, is the first project she and her husband fully owned, as the two previous offerings were released through other music labels. “Oh, it felt good!” she swoons. But, as rewarding as the final product was, putting it together was stressful. “We needed a lot of money. We thank God for our fathers in the industry, and in my case, it was (music maestro and JC co-founder) Bab’Lindelani Mkhize who sponsored my work. He
helped me fund the album,” Ntokozo explains. The cash injection she received was her JC farewell gift. “I was with JC for 11 years. That money was the starter-pack I needed to find my feet,” she says. Filled surpassed Ntokozo’s expectations, both in terms of the airplay it enjoyed, as well as the tens of thousands of copies it sold. “I really didn’t expect Filled to do that well. The album now enjoys multi-platinum status,” she says. Talking about Filled makes the songstress think back to when she first joined JC. She reveals that, on more than one occasion, she was told to quit gospel because it didn’t suit her. “There were certain powers that be that called me aside – and it wasn’t just one person; there were many – and told me I wouldn’t make it. They said this ‘gospel thing’ I’m trying to do wouldn’t sell. They actually advised me to rather sing R&B or pop music because my voice doesn’t suit gospel.” This, Ntokozo continues, galvanised her to work harder. And yet, I don’t detect any glee from her for having proved those ‘faith killers’ wrong. Instead, she feels that God used Filled to make a statement on her behalf. “Yes, my husband and I did the work, and recorded the music. But ultimately, if a project doesn’t have God’s blessing and favour, I’d rather not do it at all,” she says.
‘BEING IN THE PUBLIC EYE’
The year following Filled’s release, proved to be very significant for Ntokozo. She fell pregnant with her second daughter, and went on to clinch her first SAMA for Best Contemporary Faith Music Album in 2013. “I was very pregnant when I accepted my award. I was literally about to pop. People made fun of me on social media, but I didn’t care. I had so many things to be grateful for,” she
I’m a grown woman and comfortable in my own skin. I love who I am, wholeheartedly.
says. Speaking of social media, how does Ntokozo navigate that space, seeing how malicious it can be for celebs? “It’s a constant battle. You can get so many likes and love from fans, and then there’ll be that one person who takes an offramp. When I was young, the nasty comments did affect me,” she reveals, explaining that most of the hurtful statements targeted her weight. “I’ve always been full-figured, and back then, those mean comments got to me. Now I’m cool with it. I’m a grown woman and comfortable in my skin. I love who I am,” Ntokozo says. “I’ve learnt to take care of myself. But this is who I am. Being umzalwane also helps – I find comfort in the Scripture. And accepting this calling means I also have to accept that not everyone will agree with you.”
‘RAISING MY DAUGHTERS’
Ntokozo revels in motherhood and doesn’t mince her words when detailing the plans and hopes she has for her daughters. She prays they learn to trust in God, and to be confident women who embrace their uniqueness. At this point, the light in her eyes shines a bit brighter. What kind of parent is she, I ask? “I’m more of a disciplinarian, while my husband is more chilled. He’s firm, but there’s always room to negotiate,” she offers. “Every parent has anxieties for their kids. We want them to live in a perfect world, but that’s not realistic. We try to protect our kids, but there’ll be moments when you’re not there. They’ll be exposed to all kinds of different things, including bullying and peer pressure. But, the Bible says we must be anxious about nothing,” Ntokozo continues, explaining that there’s pressure to reveal more about her life. “My husband and I made the decision after our first daughter was born that we would not post pictures of them on social media. We are in the public space, and it’s the life we chose. But we won’t expose our daughters to that world. We want to preserve the sacredness of our family,” she says, quickly adding that she is not judging parents who choose to do otherwise.
As a mother of two daughters, I wonder out loud if she and Nqubeko plan on adding more bundles of joy to their brood. “I still want one more child. Maybe a boy this time. A third child is on the way – it may not be now because I want to work, but when the time’s right, it will happen,” she says resolutely.
‘OVERCOMING DEPRESSION’
Depression hit hard. It found a home in Ntokozo’s life and made itself comfortable soon after she started enjoying great success on the work and family front. Recalling that dark period, the musician takes her time to unpack that gloomy chapter. “After my first baby, I felt like I had lost touch with who I was. I was so busy being a mom, wife, artist and everything to everyone else and forgot who I really was. I just fell into depression. And, it was heavy,” she begins, broaching the subject carefully. Tears threaten to make an appearance, but she recovers quickly, and continues: “My husband didn’t know how to help. My family also tried to help, but didn’t know what to do. I had become lost in playing all these other roles that I forgot uNtokozo.”
The then mom-of-one accepted she was experiencing depression, and decided to tackle the illness head on. “I needed to find something to do, an outlet outside my work, husband and children,” she offers. “So while I was trying to figure out what to do to pass this phase, I realised I actually liked to talk. So I thought, ‘Let me try radio’.” She approached Rainbow FM, a Christian community radio station based in Roodepoort, Joburg. “The station manager at the time, Pastor Ronnie, was a close friend of ours. I proposed that I co-host just one slot with him, to see how I faired,” she explains. Pastor Ronnie convinced Ntokozo to come into studio every week. “I was hooked! Co-hosting the afternoon drive show was enlightening. God used radio to help me find myself again, to literally help me find my voice. I went from hosting once to twice a week for about a year! It literally saved my life,” she recalls.
During this time, Nqubeko was by her side – driving her to and back from the radio station, taking care of business, and allowing her the space to just be. “My husband is God-sent. He did exceptionally well, by just being there for me. And I like that he hasn’t boxed me into just being umculi. He’s allowed me space to explore other things I’m passionate about, like songwriting, producing, and arranging vocals. Through my husband, I realised I needed someone who was going to open my eyes to talents I didn’t even know I had. He’s truly my destiny partner,” she says.
‘FULFILLING MY DESTINY’
These days, Ntokozo’s tackling life with renewed zeal. First up, is tweaking her image – all her publicity work is now handled by DNA Brand Architects. “We’ve only just started, and they’re now working on aligning me with other lifestyle brands and securing endorsements. But, before that, I never really did anything outside of singing,” she says. “I’ve had to work very hard to reach this phase in my career. So much so that I don’t sing at weddings anymore! Unless, of course, if it’s for a close friend.” What she does do, though, is a lot of philanthropic work. To protect the people she helps, Ntokozo chooses not to share too many details. “Look, I don’t judge people who share about their volunteering work because it might just motivate others to get on board.” What she’s happy to share, however, are her plans for building shelters around the country. “I want those shelters to cater for anybody who needs help. I’m also passionate about young girls. Soon, I’m going to be launching a foundation for teenage girls to help them navigate that difficult phase. There are certain things that propel us into being certain types of women, and I want to play a role in pushing them in the right direction,” she enthuses.
Brand Ntokozo Mbambo is about to reach even greater heights. Working with her record company and PR management team, she’s looking forward to making local and international waves, and educating herself in Christian theology. She can’t divulge too much else just yet, but she knows the huge expectations her fans have. Last year, she released her first-ever duet album with her husband, as well as a surprise album. How she’ll top that, for now, only she and God know.