About
Xhanti Nokwali is a South African vocalist, composer and storyteller whose work draws from isiXhosa traditions while speaking clearly to the present. His music leans into intimacy, healing and communal memory, inviting audiences into a reflective space that holds both tenderness and strength.
A magnetic and deeply expressive performer, Xhanti has captivated audiences across the continent with his ability to transform the stage into a space of connection and collective feeling. He recently featured in Swahili Encounters, a performance directed by Msaki at the 22nd edition of Sauti Za Busara in Zanzibar, and was selected to showcase at the 2024 Fête de la Musique in Johannesburg. His collaborative spirit has seen him share stages and studio work with acclaimed artists such as Zoë Modiga, Dumza Maswana and Neo Muyanga. Beyond performance, his artistry extends into projects like Umhlaba Ophezulu by IVA Collective, Sizangengoma by Izanusi and History Re-imagined featuring the iconic Ngqoko Women’s Ensemble. Rooted in heritage and driven by purpose, Xhanti Nokwali stands as a storyteller of his generation, using music as a vessel for cultural preservation, social dialogue and shared humanity.
Major Achievements (2023–2025)
- Concerts SA subsidy for the interprovincial tour I’m With the Banned with duo Banned from the Land, supporting mobility and cultural exchange.
- Featured performer at the 22nd Sauti Za Busara Festival (2024) in Stone Town, Zanzibar.
- Independent interprovincial tour of Xhanti Nokwali Showcases, building national visibility through self-organised performances.
- Selected for Fête de la Musique Johannesburg (2024).
- Performed at the Earthbox Grand Finale (2024) in Stellenbosch.
- Invited performer at the International Music Imbizo (2024) in Durban.
- Grant recipient of the Siqaqambisa Ubugcisa Fund from ECPAC.
Projects
Umthombo — Debut Album
Umthombo is a deeply spiritual debut that breathes through ancestral rhythm and modern reflection. Produced by Nduduzo Makhathini and featuring collaborators like Asher Gamedze, the album reaches toward the sacred, drawing from jazz, folk and traditional isiXhosa idioms to form a sonic well of renewal. Across its tracks, the music speaks of listening, healing and remembering; it calls us to attune to the harmony beneath life’s disorder, to the continuity of spirit that outlives pain.
At its core, Umthombo is a meditation on the cycles of loss and return that define African experience. The work is political, spiritual and intimate all at once, mourning what has been taken while celebrating what endures. Voices, drums and guitars converge in ceremony, evoking the land, the ancestors and the unseen energies that guide collective transformation. In its lament and its joy, the album reclaims music as a space of resistance and belonging.
More than a collection of songs, Umthombo is a statement of becoming, a document of healing and reclamation. It stands as a meeting place between the traditional and the contemporary, between the personal and the communal. Through it, Xhanti Nokwali positions himself as both vessel and messenger, reaching into history’s wounds to draw out water for those still seeking wholeness.
Indlu ka Saqhuma — Upcoming EP (Recording November)
Indlu ka Saqhuma is a six‑track EP composed by Xhanti Nokwali. An intimate musical offering, it reflects on the burden and beauty of cultural lineage amid the pressures of colonisation and capitalism. Sung entirely in isiXhosa, the work affirms a living commitment to language, memory, and oral tradition.
The project will be realised through a six‑day recording and content production camp at Nokwali’s ancestral home in eNgcobo, Eastern Cape — a site of personal and historical significance. The title honours Nokwali’s maternal great‑grandfather, Saqhuma, whose legacy forms the project’s philosophical and emotional foundation.
Collaborators: ECPAC (partner), Gontse Makhene (percussion), Sakhile Twala (bass guitar), Bali Ntunja (guitars), Lwande Makhohliso (sound engineer), Mzwanele Tshishonga (visual director), and Lerato Pakade (visual crew — cinematography).
Contact & Socials
For sponsorships, partnerships, bookings or media requests, please reach out via email.