When Mbuso Khoza speaks, his words echo ancestral voices while bridging past and present. Image: Supplied Via IOL.
(The Post News)– Echoes of heritage flow when Mbuso Khoza speaks, his words carrying rhythm and tradition that preserve culture and inspire hope. Raised in KwaZulu-Natal, Khoza first encountered music at ceremonies. Amabutho, young girls, and older women inspired him with songs and lullabies. These moments became his foundation.
His family embraced both the Salvation Army and the Nazareth Baptist Church. Hymns like How Great Thou Art and Shembe traditions shaped him. His uncle’s role in church added more influence. Khoza dreamed of law, but music pulled him closer. At 22, he moved to Johannesburg and imitated gospel star Vuyo Mokoena until he met jazz legend Themba Mkhize, an encounter that set him on a lifelong path.
Mbuso Khoza: Echoes of Heritage in Music
Khoza insists his Zulu roots guide every note, saying that his instrument is language—he uses its poetry, metaphors, and history. For him, echoes of heritage shape writing, sound, and song. He composed music for major South African dramas. In Umkhokha: The Curse, he drew from Shembe traditions. Respect guided him, urging him to create familiar yet original sounds.
Meanwhile, for Shaka iLembe, his family history made the work personal. Khoza recalls how debates shaped the theme song. Eventually, they created a score that captured destiny and hope. According to him, his ancestors once worked with King Shaka, adding depth to his connection.
From Lullabies to Film Scoring
Khoza began scoring with Leon Schuster’s Mama Jack; he later composed for international projects. His method is simple: truth. He calls himself “a trumpet of the universe.” For him, storytelling and song are inseparable. He recalls his grandmother weaving music into bedtime tales—stories that carried politics, history, and survival. “Our lullabies were never just songs,” he explains. Preserving them keeps culture alive. Khoza believes documenting lullabies and Amahubo is urgent—without it, outsiders dismiss the music as unworthy.
Khoza is also an actor. His roles in Masinga—The Calling and House of Zwide gave his audience a face to match his voice. Acting, he says, helps artists evolve. He encourages musicians to diversify. On September 28, Khoza will host the Amahubo Symphony at Constitution Hill. This event will showcase lullabies, prayers, and hymns in orchestral form. Siyanda Zulu will arrange the music.
Khoza compares it to how Europe preserves Bach and Mozart. Amahubo Symphony will safeguard Zulu family songs for the future, celebrating timeless culture and memory. Echoes of heritage will guide the performance with dignity and pride. The concert will include traditional food and engaging discussions on family history about spirituality. Khoza hopes it will revive identity, strengthen unity, and nurture collective mental health across generations.
Khoza’s journey was not easy. The uncertainty of a music career left him in debt and depression. At one point, he owed more than R300,000 and nearly ended his life. His daughter’s voice saved him. “I thought about the memory she would be left with,” he recalls. That moment gave him the strength to live. Today, he speaks openly about mental health, reminding others that echoes of heritage can restore hope, resilience, and the will to continue.
Giving back
After the Amahubo Symphony, Khoza will launch the Umsuthu Mental Space. The project will encourage dialogue on anxiety and depression. He also plans an arts center in Johannesburg. It will train youth in philosophy, isiZulu, acting, and music theory. Through these initiatives, Echoes of Heritage will inspire the next generation. Khoza wants to leave a legacy of truth and kindness. ‘Every child I train must know me for that,’ he says.
Songs to explore
- Njomane: Inspired by Queen Nandi, it honours her strength and nurturing spirit.
- Mehlo Abonayo: A call for inner vision and spiritual awareness.
- Kuyabanda Ngaphandle: A metaphor for loneliness and the need for connection.
- Isivikelo (with Kelly Khumalo): A prayer for divine protection.
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