Riding the music waves
Afro-jazz artist Wandile Mnomiya rising to the top
Local girl Wandile Mnomiya’s musical talent is now seriously coming to the fore, having claimed second spot in the recent uShaka Marine International Star Search competition in Durban.
Wandile was making her name for herself from a young age, imitating her favourite artists in local talent shows.
Being the only child, and her father being a jazz musician and her mother a soul fan, it was no surprise that she would follow a musical path from early in life.
At the age of 8 she had her first stage appearance and stole the hearts of many Zululander’s, impressing them with her vocal arrangements.
Born and raised in the dusty roads of KwaSokhulu Reserve outside Richards Bay, the bubbly star paved her way in the industry and worked with the giants in the music business. She worked with the famous DJ Dansane of ‘sis wanga le’ and recorded her first solo album ‘Bambela’ in 2010.
The collaboration with the queen of jazz, Nomalanga Hlubi and the uMkhumbane jazz group was one of the highlights of her career so far.
‘I think I performed well during the Star Search event because my dad died before my performance and I wanted to do it for him. He was my number one fan,’ says Wandile.
She is currently working with Snare’s Unplugged and opened for her idol Nomalanga during the uMhlathuze Jazz Festival earlier this month.
Even though her mother wanted her to be a civil engineer, Wandile has proved that she was born to sing on big stages.
