She is the newest and latest gospel sensation with an angelic and melodic voice. Her latest EP, Uyangihola is a validation of her faith and motivation to never give up even in challenging times. Newcomer Gospel powerhouse Bongiwe Mngomezulu (30) ushers in the new season with a five-track project of hope.
The project is an offering from her soul. “The music is straight from my heart. However, there was a lot of prayer involved in the making of the project. I had a lot to say to God but also had to get direction from Him. Each song has its own emotion, feeling, and sound, and offers something for everyone. The title comes from one of the songs in the EP, titled Uyangihola which I believe I relate to the most also cause I genuinely believe God led me to this moment.”
Uyangihola is gratitude for overcoming depression and self doubt. “For a long time, I doubted myself and became very depressed and this project is my way of healing and being thankful.”
Her sound is contemporary gospel with a touch of soul, afro-pop, R&B, and pop. Growing up in Newcastle, Kwa-Zulu Natal, she has always known music was her calling and she accepted it. “I’ve always known I wanted to do music.” The last born of five girls their late mother played a huge role in the women they are today.
She is a beauty therapist by profession. “I know that feeling good and beautiful starts from the inside. So, my job is all about healing through music inside and healing the outside through beauty therapy. It all goes together for me.” Growing up in a family that loves and supports all you do has also shaped her into who she is today. “Our mother was always very supportive. The first project I was part of was Craft of Worship a few years back.”
She has overcome depression to get to where she is today. “I’ve overcome depression caused by a lot of negative thinking and looking down on myself. I consider it a challenge because for the longest time I was living in that box that I created myself with the negative thinking.,” she says. “I lived afraid of messing up before even doing anything. So I’ve overcome it through working on myself and trusting God more and actually pushing myself to doing things I’ve always wanted to do but pushed away cause I was afraid. So, this project is me showing gratitude with all I have overcome, and thanking God for getting me through it all.”
Cece Smith 