From humble beginnings and personal trials to a celebrated career, the award-winning singer reflects on legacy, healing and why he refuses to stop singing.
Vusi Nova is a towering figure in the South African entertainment industry. With a career spanning more than 15 years, the singer has collected a myriad of accolades, including prestigious South African Music Awards and Metro FM Music Awards, among others. His soulful voice and emotionally charged storytelling have earned him a loyal fanbase and cemented his place as one of the country’s most beloved musicians.
The star’s work continues to expand as he gears up to release his anticipated EP Here to Stay in July, further cementing his growing legacy.
But beyond the awards, sold-out performances and undeniable star power, there is a gentleness about Vusi Nova that instantly puts people at ease. Speaking to him feels less like an interview with a celebrated musician and more like catching up with an old friend. Warm, soft-spoken, funny and welcoming, he carries himself with a humility that almost makes one forget just how influential he truly is.
That same humility shines through in the work he does to groom and uplift upcoming artists — something he admits he did not have much of while finding his own footing in the industry. His record label aims to be that support system for emerging artists.
“Because of that, it took me that much longer to get my first break,” he recalls.
But this is not his first experience of spotting talent. Before launching Nova Sounds, he often identified promising artists and introduced them to his then-record label, Motherland Records.
“What was always astonishing, I remember someone also commenting on this, was how I would recruit people in the very same genre as me,” he says with a laugh. “But I always believed the pie is big enough for everyone, and I trusted my God-given talent so much that I knew no one could take away from it.”
Although it has been 17 years since the release of his first album, Ndimfumene, in 2009, Vusi Nova says his real breakthrough came at the age of 31, when he released Naninina— a project that marked a true reintroduction to the masses.
That moment was a continuation of a lifelong love affair with music, rooted deeply in family and faith. From a grandmother who sang in the church choir to a household where music was a nightly bonding ritual, Vusi Nova’s journey has always been inseparable from sound and storytelling.
“I come from a one-bedroom house that housed 15 of us. It was overcrowded — the kind of home where we had to move chairs so people could sleep on the floor. So music was that one thing that made us feel good about ourselves,” he says.
He was shy growing up, but his evolution has been undeniable.
“For the longest time, I wanted to erase my younger journey because I was embarrassed,” he admits. “But the older I get, the more I appreciate the foundation that was laid for me to get to where I am now.”
That foundation was not without hardship. “Overcoming those struggles — self-doubt, the loss of my mother, at some point drug use in my career, not getting the help I needed when coming up, and the fakeness around me — I had to learn the hard way. I’ve reached a point where I want to make the journey easier for those coming up. It is only right.”
These experiences, whether mistakes or life lessons, have shaped him in ways he never expected.
Even at the height of his success, with hits like Asiphelelangaand Ndikuthandile, he says doubt and imposter syndrome would still creep in. Rather than pausing to celebrate his achievements, he often found himself pushing forward, driven by a need to prove himself.
Different phases of his life have also required him to leave certain people behind in order to grow. It has been a lonely, but necessary, process — one that ultimately shaped the man he is today.
His upcoming EP is preceded by a steady stream of releases over the years, including Promises, Full Circle in recent years, as well as Ndikhethiwe in 2022 and NguMama the year before, among others.
“I’m always working,” he shares candidly. “It comes from my biggest fear — that my name will die when I physically die. I know one day my body won’t be here, and the thought that everything I’ve worked for will die with it scares me deeply. I’m fighting for that man.”
For Vusi Nova, both his music and his investment in others form part of the legacy he hopes will live long after him.
“I pour myself into my work because it is therapeutic. Music is my outlet. And when people relate to my vulnerability, that in itself is healing.”
Here to Stay is a seven-track body of work that he describes as a continued exploration of his creativity. One of the standout songs, When I’m Gone, encourages people to celebrate their loved ones even after death.
“It’s a project I’m really proud of,” he says.
“I’m proud of the person I’ve become,” he adds with a smile. “I know exactly where I come from, what I’ve overcome, and the journey I’ve walked. To still have this resilience and drive is something I don’t take lightly. That’s why I can look at myself and be proud.”
“And for as long as I am still alive, I will keep on singing.”
