New album is therapy for Kelly
IN A departure from what she usually does, Kelly Khumalo relinquished control of the songwriting in her latest album, The Voice of Africa. She chose to let other artists write for her, which is not something she is used to.
“It was like a therapy session,” she said during our IG Live interview ahead of the album’s release.
“For the first time, I didn’t write anything on an album. There are a few suggestions I made here and there, but I just wanted to experience myself from a different perspective. The difference this time around is I am not in my feelings. I had to sing from someone else’s point of view. Most of the lyrics were written by Mondli (Ngcobo) and Msaki. I just had to be there and be the voice.”
One of the lead singles, Undithatha kaNcinci, which was released last year was written by Msaki after a heavy session where they spoke about what was going through her mind at that moment.
“Msaki and I had to workshop Undithatha kaNcinci. We had to talk about my journey of where I was emotionally and my experiences at the time. She had to write from that point of view. It was like a therapy session.”
It takes a lot of knowing who you are to relinquish that kind of control and allow representations of you from other artists. But with 15 years in the game, she feels she knows what she is doing.
“I never feel that people won’t get my music. Once I am done in the studio and have put in all the effort I can possibly put in making the music, and I have played my part and done everything in my power to give people a respectable album. I respect my music, even though when the time comes for releasing new music, I am still excited, nervous and anxious.
“It’s been 15 years in the industry, and every album is new. At the end of the day, I always want to impact people with my music. And I think I do that.”
The eight-track album only features two artists – Mondli, who also produced and gospel musician, Hlengiwe Mhlaba.
