Growing up in Uitenhage and New Brighton, veteran artist Phumla Citeko loved to listen to music of all genres — but African jazz and gospel were her favourites.
She sang from an early age, joining the Mngcunube Primary School choir and Assemblies of God Sunday School choir at the age of seven.
More than 50 years later, the songstress continues to nurture a passion for music and various forms of art.
Citeko recently released her latest single, Imvula Inile, which in isiXhosa means “It rained”.
The jazz song was an introduction to Citeko’s new and preferred sound, she said.
“When I started singing, my melody was a certain way, but with Imvula Inile I’m leaning more towards jazz because I wanted a unique sound that makes me different.
“Even the jazzy sound is distinct if you listen carefully to the song,” Citeko said.
Imvula Inile also expresses Citeko’s excitement about nature and the environment, as she experiences the joy and exhilaration of a myriad of shimmering raindrops falling from the sky.
A woman who wears multiple hats, Citeko dabbles as a singer, songwriter, poet and visual artist.
With no formal art training, her work has been born out of a burning passion to create it since childhood.
A keen interest in drama also developed in primary school, where she soon became an active participant in short plays and sketches, often showcased to the pupils in a series of open-air courtyard performances.
At Cowan High School in New Brighton, Citeko enjoyed participating in music and drama, performing both as a singer and dancer in plays including Buzani Kubawo, directed by the famous Doc Mkonto.
After high school, the singer developed an interest in politics, serving with the Congress of South African Students, Port Elizabeth Youth Congress, the Port Elizabeth Women’s Organisation, the United Democratic Front and later the ANC.
Citeko credits some of her close family members for inspiring her musical interest from a young age.
Her uncle, Ziki Citeko, was a member of Uitenhage vocal group the KB Band, which inspired her.
“I sang and acted a lot throughout school and that’s where I polished my talent.
“Some of the music I grew up [with] was influenced a lot by what I learnt in school and church, but my mom was also a traditional healer so that also played a role,” she said.
In 2004, having penned a debut collection of songs, Citeko began honing her craft in rehearsals at the studio of veteran jazz maestro Dudley Tito, nationally renowned as a member of the famous Soul Jazzman.
Her labour resulted in the release of her self-titled extended play CD, which received extensive radio play.
She also started painting in 2004 and has since seen her work exhibited in various exhibitions at the ArtEC Gallery, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, the Athenaeum, National Arts Festival and Alliance Francaise.
Among her many extra-curricular activities, Citeko serves as a board member of the Doc Mkonto Music School in New Brighton and is an associate member of Film Alliance, the Los Angeles-based filmmaking forum.
Imvula Inile is on SoundCloud and yet to be uploaded on other digital music stores.
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