Former actress Mbali Nkosi is fully embracing a new chapter in her career as she ventures into the music industry with the release of her debut EP, Elements, scheduled for May 23.
In a sincere and heartfelt interview with TshisaLIVE, she reflected on how her connection to music predates her time in acting, and how personal challenges—particularly depression—hindered her progress. “It’s something that’s been a long time coming,” she revealed. “Through the times, I kept saying I would do it but [you know how it is] with depression, and people don’t understand how depression pauses everything. In between my acting I’d take lessons.”
While many recognize Mbali Nkosi from her work on screen, she has been quietly involved in the music world behind the scenes for years. As a child, she contributed to songwriting for prominent artists, including co-writing Free, a track performed by Lira and Denim in collaboration with Thembi Seete. That song eventually earned a nomination for a South African Music Award (SAMA).
Reflecting on her commitment during her school years, she shared an example of her dedication: “The day before my final maths matric exam I was in studio with Thembi writing Free and I only got home at 6am to go to school at 8am to write my exam. We were putting in the time. There wasn’t a platform to show the amount of work we put in at that time.”
Her passion led her to take a bold step three years ago by enrolling in DJ school, a move that marked a deeper commitment to her musical ambitions. “When I went to DJ school I wanted to do hip-hop purely because hip-hop DJs have more technical skill than house DJs because they play more with loops and all. Once I understood what DJing is, that’s when I made the decision to be an Afropop DJ. I wanted to be respected by DJs.”
Though the rise of women DJs is more prominent today, Mbali Nkosi had already been immersed in the music scene long before it gained mainstream attention. Now stepping into the spotlight with her own sound, she is drawing support from influential figures in the industry such as DJ Warras, Khuli Chana, DJ Zandi, and Black Motion—the latter reaching out to collaborate on her debut single Moto, released last November. “That was unexpected. They [Black Motion] hit me up. It was beautiful,” she said.
Mbali Nkosi’s foundation in music and performance was built during her time in art school, where she studied piano, musical theatre, and dance. With music having always been her passion, she now aspires to develop further as an Afropop DJ and take her sound to international stages, from music festivals to global club circuits.
