Unplugged With Nue_Sam | Interview

Nosipho Khuzwayo, known to fans as Nue_Sam, is a SAMA-nominated vocalist, songwriter, and poet whose roots run deep in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal. Her sound weaves together the soul of traditional a cappella poetry with the rhythms of old-school jazz, maskandi, and kwaito. As the visionary behind Nokhanyisa Entertainment and the Igceke Lezinkondlo festival, she has carved out a space where artistry meets entrepreneurship. Nue_Sam has transformed South African storytelling, carrying it from the intimate glow of Pata Pata African Restaurant and Niki’s Oasis Restaurant & Jazz Bar to the bright lights of national stages like Live Amp. She has collaborated with celebrated artists such as Sjava, Mlindo The Vocalist, and Yallunder on tracks like ‘Masiyeke’, ‘Impil’Imile’, and ‘Inhliziyo’. Her projects; Sipho, Nokhanyisa, and Nonyezi reveal her gift for melody and her deeply personal approach to storytelling. Now, with her latest EP, uNongqayizivele, out now, Nue_Sam is ready to share a new chapter that celebrates her iconic voice and rich cultural heritage.

In the interview that follows, Nue_Sam opens up about her music, her creative partnerships, and her dreams for the future.

Listen to uNongqayizivele:

Hey, thanks so much for sitting down with us today – what’s been the absolute best part of your week so far, music aside? 

I have to say the best part of my week has been the weather. As we enter the spring season, it has been very hot for some days but this week has been cool and rainy and that’s my kind of weather.

Which genres best describe your music, and is there any particular reason you chose to create music in that genre? 

I always find it hard to pick a genre for my music because I mix everything. I’m always trying something new, and as someone who started with poetry infused music, I’ve always wondered what genre it should be called. But the genre that best suits most of my work has to be Afro pop or Afro soul.

If someone wanted to understand the real vibe of the band / you as an artist beyond the music, what’s one story from your everyday life that says it all? 

I would say I am a very complicated book that one must read multiple times to understand. I love peace and quiet but I can also be very free and loud around those who have taken their time to let me open up to them.

What’s the wildest creative risk you’ve ever taken in the studio that actually paid off in ways you never saw coming?  

It has to be singing. I was always afraid to sing in front of people even though I deeply wanted to. One day I just chose to take that risk and it came out sounding amazing, I’ve never looked back ever since.

How often do you hope to release new music? 

I don’t like releasing too often or too many songs at once. I believe in letting people indulge in my music without it feeling too much. I also need enough time to come up with new sounds to avoid sounding mediocre or the same. So I could release an EP once every two years, with one or two singles in between.

What is your main platform for distributing and promoting your music?

Africori is my distributor, we distribute and promote music on all available platforms. I also use social media a lot for the promoting part.

If you could change one thing about the modern music industry overnight, what would it be?

I wish we would not rush creativity for numbers. We have so many great musicians who are overlooked because they don’t set trends. I wish there could be more platforms for those artists to showcase themselves. I would change the way the industry operates now, everyone would be given a chance and get deserved bookings, despite their follower count or hype. Just mainly because they are talented.

Do you see AI as a threat to musicians, a helpful collaborator, or something else? How do you plan to keep your music relevant as the industry changes rapidly because of these tools? By embracing AI, avoiding it, or taking a different approach?

I create most of my music from scratch with composers and instrumentalists. I am definitely avoiding AI and I think In doing so, I keep my music as authentic as possible.

What is the single biggest challenge you currently face as an African artist/band?

The biggest challenge has to be getting booked. Even though I have performed and released music with well known artists, it’s very hard to get bookings of my own. But I think the main reason for that is that a lot of people only know me as an isiZulu poet, they do not know that I make music and that I am versatile in that.

What core themes were you hoping listeners would connect with in your latest track?

My latest track ‘umbhalo wothando’ has an old school vibe that I think most people will find nostalgic. It also features two of the best maskandi artists in South Africa. So it’s pro nostalgia and culture.

What is your dream collaboration whether it be local or international and why?

I really wish to one day work with Freddy Gwala. I am inspired by his sound and vocals. Ever since I was a kid I really loved his music.

What does your creative process look like when you head to the studio to work on a new track? 

Most of the time I already have an acapella version of the vocals that I have been recording on my phone over time. When I get to the studio, I pretty much just sing the hook for the producer and give him the tempo, we then create the beat from scratch. If more instruments are needed, we invite the musician over.

If you could revisit one decision from your artistic journey and do it differently, what would it be? 

I wouldn’t do anything differently. I believe that every decision I’ve made has been a lesson to make me a better and stronger person. It has also shaped my business view of things.

What is your favorite song that you have made and are there any special moments with that song you can share with us? 

My favourite song has to be ‘Ngasho’, I don’t know how I could ever explain it but it just takes me to a whole different universe.

What’s one unexpected influence, maybe from outside music, that keeps showing up in your work? 

I would say my upbringing to respect the world and the people in it. I always lead with respect and not entertaining nonsense. My music always speaks against bad behaviour.

What’s one fun or ridiculous moment from the studio or road since this release that still makes you smile?

During the studio camp, I was always amazed by how the songs came together so perfectly as though the composers could read my mind. I listen to the project and smile, because that’s exactly how fate sounds like.

Follow Nue_Sam:

Spotify – Facebook – Instagram