She’s faced doubt, pressure, and rejection—but Zee Nxumalo never stopped believing in her voice.
Now, the world is listening.
Zee Nxumalo’s dream of entertaining the world has blossomed into a life far beyond what she could have imagined—one filled with exciting milestones, unexpected opportunities, and a rising wave of success that continues to lift her higher. One of her proudest achievements so far is being the most nominated artist at this year’s Basadi in Music Awards, with four nominations to her name. It’s a milestone she once saw as a distant dream, something she quietly wished for but never fully believed could happen. Now, she’s watching it unfold in real-time as she steadily carves out her space in the industry.
The bubbly 22-year-old is the first to admit that her rise to stardom didn’t happen overnight. It took time, persistence and a bit of bold belief in herself.
“Sometimes being delusional with what you want helps,” she says with a laugh. “Because look at where I am today!”
But before the dream of performing for crowds and capturing hearts on stage took shape, Zee wasn’t particularly drawn to music. She was always naturally talented, but music wasn’t her first love. In fact, she credits her older brother with planting the seed that would eventually bloom into a passion.
“I was raised in a very close-knit family, and because of that, many of my influences come from home—including music,” she says. “My brother was really into music—he was always listening to different artists, collecting songs and experimenting with music.”
While he immersed himself in the world of sound, Zee had other ambitions. “I was convinced I was going to be an academic—specifically a lawyer,” she shares. “Music wasn’t even on the cards for me at the time. But through my brother’s passion, something started to shift. The love for music was slowly bubbling under.”
Born Zandile Nxumalo, Zee grew up under the watchful eye of a strict father—“he still is,” she adds with a playful giggle. That discipline meant that she never fully experienced the street life of Alexandra firsthand, even though she was raised there. She proudly draws her Swati roots from her father and her isiXhosa roots from her mother.
As her interest in music started to grow, Zee’s parents encouraged her to focus on school first. “They bargained with me—they said I could pursue music, but only after I finished matric,” she explains. “I agreed, and once I was done with high school, they pushed me to complete my degree first, saying I could do music after that.”
But it didn’t take long for her to realise there might always be a next condition. “It hit me that they were just stringing me along,” she says, laughing. “I thought, next they’ll say, ‘Just work for five years first.’ And I knew if I kept saying yes, I might never actually get to pursue my dream.”
University life gave her the freedom to make her own choices. “You know how res life is,” she smiles. “You’re away from home, meeting new people, exposed to new experiences. For me, that included visiting studios. And that’s actually how Funk 55 came to life.”
But even before that moment, while her passion had been quietly growing beneath the surface—she recorded a cover for one of Mlindo’s popular songs and that is what garnered an audience for her.
“I’m really grateful for everything that has happened so far,” Zee says warmly. “And I never forget how tough it was to get here. Even on the days when I don’t feel like performing, I remind myself, ‘This is what we’ve been working so hard for.’ That helps me snap out of it quickly.”
She hopes people understand that her success didn’t happen by luck. “What people are seeing now is the result of knocking on countless doors, trying to place yourself in spaces that you believe will help your future—only to be turned away again and again.”
That hunger to be in the music industry pushed her to try just about anything. “I was so desperate to make it that I even tried rapping!” she says, laughing out loud. “I called myself Zee the Toxic. Don’t ask me why, Toxic—LOL! But that’s how badly I wanted it. I just needed to get my foot in the door, and then I was ready to work my way up from there.”
And while she’s making big waves in the amapiano space, Zee reveals that her first love has always been Afropop. She’s now signed to a major label that will support her in exploring that sound further. More details will be shared soon, but for her, it’s a full-circle moment.
“Imagine—two years ago I told Frontpage Magazine about how much I loved Afropop and how artists like Kelly Khumalo and Mlindo the Vocalist inspired me. And now I actually get to live that dream. That just shows how much I believe in myself and the things I pray for.”
That same belief showed up last year when she kept joking about Shay’moto being nominated for Song of the Year. “And guess what? This year, it finally is.”
The Ama Gear hitmaker just hopes her story, as early as things may be, reminds people that believing in yourself is where it all begins.
Her ultimate goal in life will shock you.
“To be a mother to a baby boy. When all is said and done, I’ve released more songs than I can count, I’ve toured the world, and I’ve made maximum impact in the industry—I just want to be someone’s mother. I want to nurture a soul and watch them become their best version and live out their purpose.
“I’m not saying I won’t continue doing what I love because I have bigger dreams like touring and gracing the biggest stages in the world, but what I know will complete everything for me is to be a mom. I am so family-oriented that I see myself having my own family. That is the ultimate goal,” she said.
For Zee, what we are seeing is just the beginning—and she’s showing us that with heart, hustle and a little faith, dreams really do take flight.
