Music was initially merely a way to express herself.
Since she was only in high school when she started her musical journey, she didn’t know much about the power that would be telling stories through melodies and beats.
As she grew older, the Swaziland-born actress realised how one song can change a person’s life.
After hearing a demo of her song on Swazi radio at one point in 2005, she was over the moon.
Little did she know that it was the beginning of an illustrious journey.
Using the name that her father calls her by, Zamo rose to big stages with her voice.
Although it was difficult for her clerk and doctor parents to accept her decision to pursue music, they eventually gave in to it when they saw her love for it.
Before they knew it, she was touring with Gospel ensemble Joyous Celebration from 2014 to 2018.
She tells Drum how the opportunity came about.
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“It’s honestly an experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything. How that came about, I posted a 15 secs video on Instagram and was approached to come for an audition. Destiny wanted me there and even in moments where I felt that ‘there are better singers out there’ it was the perfect training ground that I needed.”
After this, she released a single as a solo artist and aimed for the skies.
“Tinyembeti got me a lot of recognition in the game, and I will forever be grateful to the people who helped me put it together.”
It was at this point that her earlier years of singing were affirmed.
Taking us back to where it all began in her childhood, she reminisces about how she would take charge of the hall stage of the school where her grandmother used to work.
“My grandmother used to work at a boys’ school cooking their lunch and the kitchen where she cooked from was inside a hall that had a stage. I remember in my preschool and primary school days I didn’t want to walk home like other kids. I would go to Gogo because there was a stage there. Mumbling and doing funny dance moves on that stage kind of gave them (her grandmother and her colleagues) signals that this one is definitely an artist.”
Just as she was settling into mainstream, covid hit the country’s shores and it sent her packing.
This was one of the moments when calling it quits was the only thing that made sense, but she would remind herself that “this is my journey and I have to keep moving without seeing the need to over explain my moves.”
Since then, the 33-year-old has tapped into acting, recently making waves on Mzansi Magic’s Lenyalo Ha Se Papadi.
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But now she is making a comeback to the singing stage.
On 17 August, the singer released her single called Ngeyami Lendlela which was inspired by her visit back home in January this year.
“I was visiting Home (Eswatini) and met a producer by the name of Anson Dludlu who happens to be my sister’s neighbour in Fairview and so he sent me the song. My heart was still a bit off music because of the big setbacks that came with Covid-19, and I was focusing more on the business the song was just there with no plan for it. June I was ready and after many run arounds from one hand to the other Afrotraction cracked it. The longer it took the happier me and the team were. So, it was definitely worth the wait.”
Through the years, she says she has not only grown in the business of music but also vocally and has also gained a better understanding of the performance arts.
“My biggest lesson is definitely always being open to learn because learning never stops,” she says.
She has worked with the likes of Mbongeni Ngema, Hugh Masekela, Salif Keita, Presss, Afrotraction and would love to collaborate with more females in the industry in the future.
