It's a family thing. He grew up listening to different genres of music because his family members all enjoyed various sounds and they inspired him to fall in love with it all.
And it shows in his work.
Empangeni-born musician and producer Muzi, real name Muziwakhe McVictor Mazibuko (30) is releasing new music. He describes it as a joyful, optimistic, proud, self-reliant, and full of love body of work.
‘There seem to be a lot of Black people on Mars’ is how Muzi, aka The Zulu Skywalker, opens his fourth full-length album – Interblaktic.
“It has always been super important to always have an African edge to the music I make, even though it's electronic,” Muzi tells Drum.
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Born and raised in a small town in KZN, he comes from a musical family.
"When I started making music myself, I always liked merging different sounds because that’s how I was brought up as a kid, I wasn’t aware that they were different genres,” Muzi says.
Over the past five years, Muzi has captured the hearts of fans both locally and abroad. His music is a blend of afro-beat and electro with the traditional sounds of his childhood, with some local genres like Maskandi, Kwaito, and Isicathamiya added in.
“I had this visual idea of building this confident black world in my head, and I started creating that music to bring that vision to life, black people in space making fire music,” Muzi says.
He took the pandemic as a time to hone his craft and spend time with his daughter.
“I am not the type of person to feel like my life is over when things I can’t control happen. I took the time to bond with my daughter, be home, and work on music,” Muzi shares.
Muzi has always wanted to be a healer, he enrolled in medical school, but he dropped out and says he is now healing through music.
“When I look back, I have always wanted to heal in some way and I am doing that now through music and I can reach more people,” he says.
As he sets his eyes on global tours, Muzi also wants to be a world-class producer.
He spent two years in Germany learning all he can about music and the business of it.
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“My main goal was to always be a world-class producer from South Africa. When I listen to some of my favourite artists such as Missy Elliot, Brenda Fassie, Daft Punk; they are always taking it to the next level, and were all brave enough to push it forward, and make timeless music,” Muzi says.
“I love how they were inspired by what the world could be, instead of what the world is. I try to do that when I make my music. That is why it is very optimistic, positive driven; it’s almost like a higher aim for me as a human,” he adds.
He is not into the fame that comes with being a musician.
“I have an awkward relationship, with fame. I don’t view myself as a celebrity, I am just a guy that loves music. Fame can take a life of its own, and you sort of lose yourself. I am lucky to have people around me that ground me. I was brought up that way, and it helps me keep the main thing, the main thing. If it’s not music-related, I am not going to talk about it. A lot of things can come and mess up the music, or what you are trying to do. I protect that energy,” Muzi says.
