From a young singer bursting onto the scene with Qinisela to a spiritual force in South African music, Khumalo reflects on a career of growth, scars, and the unshakable mission to heal.
Twenty years into her journey, Kelly Khumalo shares that she has uncovered the pinnacle truth of a purpose that has long been taking shape.
Through the highs and lows of her ever-evolving career — with moments of doubt along the way — Kelly reveals that her true purpose in music is to heal. “A healing journey, really. I’ve been called to heal not just through my spiritual gifts but through my music as well,” she shares.
Kelly burst onto the scene in 2005 with her hit banger Qinisela— a moment that marked the start of something even she could not have imagined.
“It’s a very big and a very significant one. It’s not every day that one gets to 20 years, especially in the entertainment industry. People come and go, people lose interest, and for some reason, I’m still here. So clearly there’s something very significant that I am here for, maybe even beyond my music,” says Kelly, taking a moment to reflect.
Not only does Kelly express herself beautifully, but she’s also genuinely engaging to speak to. During our virtual call, one could sense both her contentment and her anticipation for achieving more. Even with two decades under her belt, Kelly’s journey is far from complete.
“Young Kelly would probably say, ‘Wow. What a beautiful gift to unwrap,’ because I don’t think my younger self saw how far it would go, the impact of this career, and also the responsibility that comes with it. I think I am young Kelly’s wildest dreams because I never thought of becoming this person.”
The way it all unfolded was never anything she could have imagined, she reveals.
And how much it first had to heal her — which she admits is a continuous journey — before she could embody healing for others.
“I think if it wasn’t for the love of music, I wouldn’t have dared to open the doors that I have opened spiritually. I would have given up, because the spiritual journey is not for the faint-hearted.”
She takes a moment to recollect herself, thinking back to how her spiritual journey began. “I’m even tearing up,” she says softly.
“When it knocks at your door, it’s never nice. It takes from you; it creates so much noise that you can’t even ignore it. For me, it was such an uncomfortable, loud, haunting voice that I could not ignore. Once it starts removing people from your life, removing things that are dear to you, and taking from you — that is when you know that you are not just a surface-level human being, but are called for something larger than you.”
Lonely, messy, chaotic, very dark, and borderline losing your mind — these are the words she uses to describe it.
But music was the constant Kelly always ran to. And while she found refuge in music, the music itself was evolving.
“In these 20 years, I have become a completely different person, and the mission has changed too. When I started it was all for entertainment, but now we have tapped into different spheres.”
She has entered into a space where she is a groundbreaker, a nonconformist, choosing to bring change rather than be palatable.
“But the mission has to be balanced,” she quickly switches to a lighter tone. “We must never forget to be in touch with the inner child, who allows us to be free and helps us find that airy side of who we are.”
Kelly’s music has been a diary of her life, a mirror of each phase of where she is and where she has been.
“Come to think of it, music has always been me. One story that my mother shared with me was that I used to sing while on her back, to the point where people would comment in amazement. From there, there was Sunday school — where I was the youngest but the lead vocalist — to later forming part of the praise and worship team. I spent a lot of time with my grandmother and we bonded through music, which shaped many changes in my life,” she says, adding that music has played a huge role in her awakening.
“A friend (music) that never leaves, that never dies, and that is there for you and only you,” she shares.
One word that Kelly uses to describe her upcoming twenty-year celebration is scary.
“It’s scary because it is all me. From production, logistics, music, and being on stage — it is all me. But it also reflects growth as well. And also how much of a control freak I am,” she says before bursting into laughter.
The show will be staged as a twenty-year journal of how far she has come, form the people she has worked with to the people she has lost.
Twenty years is a celebration of the power that has carried her to this point in her career. It honours the growth that has brought both triumphs and scars, while also marking the beginning of a new era of healing that has been unleashed.
A journey unfolding, and one that is impossible to look away from.
