BY SIPHOSETHU MABUZA
MANZINI – Traditional music can travel far from home without losing the stories that gave it life. For Eswatini musician Cy Ndukwemnyama, taking his sound across the border is another opportunity to share a piece of Swati identity with a wider audience.
The artist, whose real name is Sanele Mamba, is scheduled to perform at the third annual Rise Mpumalanga Talent (RMT) All White Celebration at Mbombela Stadium on November 7.
Ndukwemnyama’s music, which he calls Umgidvo, blends traditional Swati melodies with Afro and hip-hop influences. The result brings cultural sounds into a contemporary setting, allowing him to draw on familiar traditions while reaching listeners who may connect with his music in different ways.
Songs such as Vuma, featuring Sancheziey, and Siyalobola Gogo touch on Swati identity and relationships. Rather than leaving tradition in the past, his approach gives it room to exist alongside modern sounds.
His upcoming appearance in Mbombela also follows a recent trip to Lesotho, where he performed alongside fellow Eswatini artist Judah Soul at the Global Creative Summit in September. Such performances give artists an opportunity to introduce their work to audiences beyond their home country and see how their music travels.
For Ndukwemnyama, the interest will not only be in the crowd he performs for, but also in how a sound shaped by Swati culture connects with people outside Eswatini. When traditional melodies meet contemporary rhythms, the music carries more than a beat it carries a sense of where it comes from.
#CyNdukwemnyama #SwatiMusic #EswatiniEntertainment
(Courtesy Pic)
