Having lived a life marked by both sorrow and divine grace, multi-award-winning musician Kelly Khumalo has learnt to embrace every twist and turn of her journey.
Now, as she celebrates 20 years in the music industry, she says her latest album, Rebirth, is the most honest reflection of who she has become — both as an artist and as a woman.
Currently touring the Eastern Cape to promote her new release and scout possible venues for her milestone celebration, Khumalo said Gqeberha held a special place in her heart.
“Gqeberha has become home for me,” she said.
“I had to learn a bit of isiXhosa so that I could speak the language when I’m here.
“When I’m in Gqeberha, I feel peace — a calmness, a freedom that comes with just the air.
“I’m myself whenever I’m here. There’s no looking over my shoulder. It feels like home.”
Released on November 7, Rebirth follows the success of her August single, Nyamezela (Persevere) — a song that set the tone for what would become her 11th studio album.
Running just over 38 minutes, the nine-track project explores themes of love, faith, perseverance and spiritual renewal, all tied to Khumalo’s deeply personal evolution.
Khumalo’s journey to stardom seems almost predestined.
Born in Johannesburg, she grew up in a family where music flowed on both her maternal and paternal sides.
Her earliest memories are filled with melodies from church and school choirs, where her love for song first took root.
She made her debut in 2005 with T.K.O., released through Bonsai Entertainment, and has never looked back.
Over the years, her discography has grown not as a race to fill shelves, but as what she calls an “evolving diary” of her personal and artistic life.
Albums like Itshitshi, Siyajabula, Simply Kelly, The Past, The Present, The Future, Back to My Roots, My Truth, Unleashed, The Voice of Africa, and From a God to a King, chart her transformation through sound and self.
Her chart-topping hits — including Asine, Empini and Sobabili — have not only dominated local airwaves but have become anthems of resilience for South Africans across generations.
Her sound defies easy categorisation, blending Afro-pop, gospel and jazz in a way that feels both modern and timeless.
“I don’t like to be boxed in,” she said.
“Music is fluid — just like life.”
Her spiritual awakening, she said, had always lingered in the background of her career — but it crystallised during the creation of her 2018 album, Unleashed.
“I used to see my spirituality and my work as separate. But now I realise they are the same.
“There was always someone within me wanting to be heard — and I had to provide that platform.
“Now, with age and wisdom, I see the deeper meaning behind it all.”
That realisation birthed Rebirth — both literally and spiritually.
“When you accept your calling and align yourself with your higher self, you are reborn in the spirit,” she said.
“You do things differently, you see things differently. This is not the old Kelly who just used to sing.
“Now I am guided, protected and loved. I’m in my place of power.”
The album’s lead single, Nyamezela, is a dance anthem infused with perseverance — its rhythmic beats and soaring vocals reflecting both joy and struggle.
The track is already making waves on the charts, echoing the success of Khumalo’s previous hits like Empini, which went double platinum with more than 9.6-million streams, and Ngathwala Ngaye, which went gold with 2.4-million streams.
One of the most poignant tracks on Rebirth is Izibusiso (Blessings), which captures the duality of Khumalo’s life — from deep pain to divine transformation.
“The lyrics say, ‘Impilo yami yonke igcwele usizi nolaka’ — my life was full of sorrow and anger,” she said.
“But the song celebrates blessings that turn darkness into light.
“It’s about the isolation you go through to truly listen to a higher power and to unlearn what you thought you knew.”
Khumalo’s spiritual path was nine years in the making — and it was not easy.
“I had to walk the journey more than once.
“There were times I almost became a sangoma, but it didn’t resonate. It wasn’t my path.
“Eventually, I found someone who understood and could guide me.
“You can only be guided so far — the rest is between you and Amakhosi [the ancestors].”
That journey, she said, brought her to her Rebirth.
As she marks two decades in the industry, Khumalo says this chapter feels lighter — freer — than any before.
“Now, I don’t hold back. Sometimes you think, ‘I’m doing too much’, but now I don’t care. Too much is me.”
As she looks toward her 20-year celebration, she said it was only fitting that part of her journey unfolded in the Eastern Cape.
The Herald
