Storm clouds begin to form over Johannesburg when I meet Mbuso Khoza at the Houghton Hotel. The midmorning bustle fills the lounge as the coffee machine sputters and hisses softly, blending with the hum of conversations and the clinking of champagne flutes. In preparation for a rehearsal with the Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra, Khoza sips on a healing vocal elixir of ginger, mint and honey.
The celebrated South African artist, 46, is known for his multifaceted talents as a musician, historian and actor. Renowned for his distinctive voice and deep understanding of African cultural heritage, he is a master at blending traditional Zulu sounds like isicathamiya with contemporary jazz, creating music that feels timeless yet modern.
When we meet, he can’t contain his excitement over his upcoming Joburg Theatre musical. The fifth edition of Isandlwana Lecture: The Musical takes center stage from January 22 to 26 with performances lined up in Johannesburg and KwaZulu-Natal. This remarkable production revisits the historic Battle of Isandlwana, where the Zulu nation triumphed over British forces during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. Through a powerful blend of music, storytelling and performance, Khoza and his Ijadu le Afrika choir breathe life into the events and cultural legacy of this pivotal chapter in African history.
The musical is more than just a show. “My mother is the first daughter of a chief Khoza. Yes, she is a director descendant of the guy called Ntshingwayo kaMahole Khoza who was a general commander of the battle of Isandlwana in 1879. Which is the reason I'm doing what I'm doing,” he says. He’s beaming with excitement because he believes culture should be “a subject of daily consumption”.
This unwavering passion for culture is rooted in his rural upbringing in Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal, surrounded by rolling hills and lush greenery. Khoza, who still describes himself as a herdboy, spent his youth herding goats and cattle, connecting deeply with the rhythms of rural Zulu life and the cultural traditions that now inspire his work.
Those formative years shaped his deep connection with nature, where he learnt to listen to the world around him and communicate with animals, a skill he credits to his childhood praise singing. He recalls one of his fondest memories with his mother, when thunderstorms rolled in. She would gather all her seven children inside, singing to the storm: “This is your home nature, we are of yours.”
Music is my first love. I normally say I'm not an actor, but I’m a musician who is blessed with acting opportunities. I'll be celebrating 23 years in the industry this year, and it only dawned on me in 2022 that I’m actually a fully-fledged musician who can sing with any band, with any set-up in the world. You can put me anywhere
— Mbuso Khoza
This ritual not only reinforced his bond with the natural world but also tied his rural upbringing to the powerful significance of storms in his life.
He describes the sudden death of his mom as the lowest low in his life. After losing her at 19, the late 1990s were still a politically tense time and Khoza was arrested. After his release from prison, he left Eshowe to chase his musical dreams in Johannesburg. For a time he lived under a bridge in Newtown, surviving on leftover meals from legendary musicians like Caiphus Semenya and Sibongile Khumalo during their rehearsals at Bassline.
He may have been homeless but he was never hopeless. “It’s surprising,” he says. “With nothing, with no shower, I never felt dirty. My mind was always focused on where I wanted to be. I never looked at where I was then, so I think that’s what kept me going. I saw all the things I am today. Honestly, I imagined myself working with orchestras, going overseas; I've done that. Winning awards; I've done that.”
Eventually he met jazz pianist and composer Themba Mkhize and spent time in the studio learning from the man who would become a father figure to him.
It’s a dream he’s living — a life dedicated to preserving and reimagining traditional music. From those early days, mentored by Mkhize, Khoza began learning the art of composing for television, film and stage, developing a profound love for poetry and indigenous music. Today his work, including the evocative score for Shaka iLembe, bridges the gap between South Africa’s past and present, introducing heritage music to new audiences.
“Working on Shaka iLembe has afforded me the opportunity to say our indigenous music can be fused in the scoring for TV. Because many times I’d hear the universal movie title track and dream that one day I’d be part of that. But today we can compose our own music, orchestrate it, not taint it down and pass it on to the younger people,” he says.
Halfway through his sentence, he hums the opening sequence song to the Universal Studios movie title sequence. Then it’s as if the cacophony of clinking cups and zoom meetings disappear when he begins to sing the Shaka iLembe opening sequence track, Ungowamakhosi. He then talks me through the intensity in the studio with Phillip Miller and the rest of the team to produce it, and the goosebumps they got reworking it to make sure it was perfect.
During our conversation his phone rings; it’s his homeopath calling about his anxiety medication. Amid his success, Khoza is candid about his struggles. Despite being in the industry for a little over two decades, he’s only just started feeling worthy of the title musician. This isn’t his only title, he is also a television actor. He played Maphalala in the Mzansi Magic drama series Umkhokha: The Curse. His role resonated with fans during the first season, so when he unexpectedly left the show his departure left a void, and many fans expressed their disappointment.
His return in the second season in 2023 was met with excitement, as viewers eagerly welcomed him back. “Music is my first love. I normally say I'm not an actor, but I’m a musician who is blessed with acting opportunities. I'll be celebrating 23 years in the industry this year, and it only dawned on me in 2022 that I’m actually a fully-fledged musician who can sing with any band, with any set-up in the world. You can put me anywhere.”
Having wrapped up his Homecoming concert, he’ll return to the lush hills of Eshowe to spend his days walking and singing to his livestock. It’s there where he’s most connected to himself and his ancestors. Grounded by his roots, he still calls Eshowe home. When he’s not travelling, he walks the same paths he roamed as a boy, reconnecting with the land. “Sometimes, I sit and ask nature, ‘Do you remember me at 15, how my heart was; when I was 20, walking around here? This is still the same person.’”
He vividly remembers the last time in nature after months of filming. While praying he felt that he had neglected his first love, music. This moment was a kind of second call to return back to his first love.
For Khoza the highlight of 2024 was being recognised as a television composer with nominations at the South African Music Awards (Samas) and the South African Film & Television Awards (Saftas) this year. “The point of making music is making music itself, it’s not how you are dressed or how many awards you win. They will come when they come, but if you are working and waiting to be recognised, then you are not going to get anywhere, and you are inviting depression,” he says.
Admitting to living with anxiety and depression, Khoza has a deeply reflective approach to his mental wellness. In addition to the homeopathic medication, he also makes time every night to review his day, setting an intentional tone for the next.
“I can say I'm living the best life, because it doesn't mean that I'm no longer visited by suicidal thoughts but I know better now. It’s fine if I hear thunderstorms in my mind; it’s a happening out there but I’m here; I’m coming alive in this very moment. For me, every day I make sure I guard my thoughts,” he says.
Leaning even further into his culture and his heritage has also been invaluable. As the direct descendant of Ntshingwayo kaMahole Khoza, the general commander at the Battle of Isandlwana in 1879, Khoza carries an ancestral legacy. He begins to tell me about his greatest ancestor, who led 20,000 warriors and composed songs as he marched into battle. The pride is evident in his voice. This lineage fuels his mission to revive traditional music and ensure it resonates with modern ears. His cultural institute is a cornerstone of this work, travelling extensively to collect stories and mentor young people in documenting history through their own lenses.
Khoza believes it’s only in studying our history that we’ll be able to chart a better path towards the future. As the morning of spontaneous singing and reciting Latin and Zulu poems comes to an end, Khoza has one final piece of advice: “Maybe I can end with saying knowledge for self will help you to realise how much you need to love about self. And that self-love will force us to do better for ourselves as Africans. Siyabonga.”
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