Khuzani ends 2022 with a bang and drops 13th album

When maskandi singer Khuzani Mpungose won the UkhoziFM Ingoma Ehlukanisa Unyaka in 2020, ushering music fans into the new year, it proved that he has arrived.

His song titled Ijele, featuring Luve Dubazana, which is part of his blockbuster album Isipoki Esingafi, received 900,000 votes. To win the contest, Mpungose beat artists such as Kelly Khumalo, Azania, DJ Hlo, Big Zulu, and Mapara A Jazz who were part of the Top 10. Mpungose, who is popularly known as Indlamlenze, became the third maskandi artist to win UkhoziFM Ingoma Ehlukanisa Unyaka after Mroza Fakude and Ntencane Zondo previously won.

Since the win Mpungose has gone from strength to strength, creating hits and pushing boundaries. Through his hard work he is now rated among the top maskandi artists. After hosting a successful All White Party Picnic event in Durban, Mpungose is ending the year with a bang by dropping his 13th offering, Umqhele Nethawula. The album drops a day before he celebrates his 33rd  birthday.

“This year has been a great year for me. It started well and the event I hosted last month was a success. I am now ending everything on a high note by releasing an album. The album will be released today and all my fans are eagerly waiting for it.”

The album will be released physically today (Friday) before hitting digital stores next week. Like his previous album titled Inja Nogodo which had a hit track Ngavele Ngamnika featuring Luv Dubazana, Mpungose is hopeful that the album will do well.

In the latest album, he has worked with artists such as Inyoni Emhlophe, Thuthukani Cele, JJ Mbuthuma, and Phatha Phatha Ngcobo, among others.

“The songs vary in terms of message and style. I have also included a gospel song featuring Jumbo. As much as all my albums have produced hits that trend on social media I do not choose those songs. I allow fans to choose the songs they believe are hits. But what I can say is there is a lot of hard work that was put in producing the album.”

When it comes to composing, Mpungose likes to reflect what is happening in the community and uses his talent to reflect issues that affect people. 

“As a musician when I compose, I look at things that happened to me, to people around me and the society at large. Sometimes I use the music to warn society about things that lead them astray and suggest solutions where I can. But what is important is the message must reach the targeted market. A song must be able to make a person feel better or give hope to those who have lost it.”

Born and bred in Nkandla, Mpungose belongs to a breed of maskandi stars who did not only breathe fresh air into the genre but have taken it to the next level. He is among the artists who have proved that maskandi is not a genre for backward or uneducated people.

Mpungose and other maskandi stars have introduced fanclubs and his is known as The Blue Nation and set themselves apart by wearing blue colours and support him through attending his events and buying his music. His fanclub has about 48 branches across SA.

Though senior maskandi artists have voiced their concerns about maskandi fanclubs, saying it disadvantages those who do not have a huge following, Mpungose still supports the idea. He argued that those who do not have a huge following will not get supported in spite of the great music they release.

“I don’t think that will disadvantage the genre. Having a fan base is what will grow the industry. It is the same thing that happens in soccer. If you have fewer followers, less people will support you. But this should encourage you to work hard to get more following. We introduced a uniform so that we can see who supports who. Right now I am leading  when it comes to a following.”

Apart from contributing to the growth of maskandi trends, Mpungose has been exporting the sound overseas. Last year he joined other SA stars for the Dubai Expo which was curated by the department of sport, arts and culture and the department of trade and industry. This year, Mpungose performed in the UK.

For him it all began with a dream at a young age being inspired by music legends like Mgqumeni Khumalo and Mtshengiseni Ngcwensa. He then moved to Pretoria with an aim to kickstart his music career.

When Khumalo died while working on his album Secret in 2009, Mpungose was asked to add his voice as they had similar voices.

In 2011, he kickstarted his music career releasing Bahluleke Bonke which also became a success. He has won a string of awards that includes Mayoral Excellence Awards, KZN Entertainment Awards, DStv Mzansi Viewer’s Choice Awards, Life Changers Awards, 4th Amanstshontsho Kamaskandi Awards and SA Music Awards.