Super Woman has nothing on Nomisupasta

Self-proclaimed superhero Nomsa Mazwai uses her superpowers for good in both career and community, writes Pearl Boshomane

Nomsa Mazwai calls herself a superhero because, like any superhero worth her salt, she lives a double life.

Going by the moniker Nomisupasta, she describes herself as "an extremely well-educated professional by day and a fierce superhero by night".

Her superpower is not spidey senses like Spider-Man or super shrinking abilities like Ant-Man.

"It's the power to change mindsets and perceived realities through music," she says. "Nomisupasta says, 'Everything they said was impossible, guess what, it's possible - all your dreams can actually come to fruition'. She has the power to make you believe in you."

She's a wearer of many hats: singer, songwriter, academic, author, poet and now general manager of the Soweto Theatre.

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Mazwai, whose self-titled debut album won her a South African Music Award (Sama), says her music is "unapologetic and always interrogating life, love and politics".

On her track The Emperor, for instance, she provides deep political and sociopolitical commentary, interrogating the meaning of freedom in a world where governments don't value their citizens' privacy and women's bodies are treated as public property.

"I have to sacrifice my freedom/ for a feeling of security/ . I sit suspicious on a public toilet seat/ wondering who may be watching me/ cos even my privates don't have privacy," she sings on the tune (whose catchiness doesn't betray its fairly dark lyrics).

Since Nomisupasta, she's released the album First Contact, an achingly beautiful and trippy nine-track collaboration with San Francisco-based music producer Nezbeat.

Collaboration is something Mazwai does often, having appeared on tracks with house superstar Black Coffee and local band Cortina Whiplash. She has just featured on the track Cupid's Crooked Bow by Ghanaian rapper M.anifest.

She also has two unreleased albums and another in the works.

"I'm always working, always creating. I have learnt that as an artist you can create but if you want to make a living out of it, you have to plan releases, gain momentum and respect your fans by releasing quality and releasing when you are ready," she says.

Her PR people say Mazwai epitomises "black girl magic", so I ask her who she thinks personifies "black girl magic". Her list ranges from women in business (Wendy Luhabe, Khanyi Dhlomo, Lebo Nke) to Constitutional Court Justice Yvonne Mokgoro and even her niece, Malaika Mazwai (daughter of her iconic older sis, Thandiswa).

She says her admiration for them extends beyond their accomplishments: "They are black girl magic to me because they empower other women and speak positivity and possibility to our people."

The thread of empowerment runs through many of the things Mazwai does. When the opportunity to steer the Soweto Theatre (alongside creative manager Makhaola Ndebele) came her way, she wasn't daunted by the job that awaited her.

"I was like, 'Nomi, this is your opportunity to make a difference in the world!'"

While her role includes the maintenance of the building, it's also about ensuring it serves the community.

She says: "This building, this elephant in the room, must be accessible to those who live around it. This place must also be relevant to this community. They must know that they are free to walk in but they must also want to walk in. Since we joined, you will have seen a focus on indigenous-language productions. You will see our focus on delivering content to schools. You will come to our space and feel 'humanised'."

She wants the Soweto Theatre to be a "springboard for up-and-coming creatives", as well as a space that will "expand the mind of a young child".

block_quotes_start Accolades matter. Sometimes we have to hear other people say we are amazing, but it's important to know we are without them block_quotes_end

I ask her if winning a Sama means anything to her, and instead of the usual faux nonchalance a lot of artists exhibit when awards are mentioned, she gives a refreshingly honest answer.

"Accolades matter. Sometimes we have to hear other people say we are amazing, but it's important to know we are without them. My Sama was the single moment that I knew I was talented enough to be a great musician."

Mazwai says the most fulfilling thing about being an artist is getting to perform - and, having seen her live shows, she was born to do it.

She'll be staging another one of her electrifying performances at the theatre on Friday, January 28, for the recording of her first live DVD. What can audiences expect from the show?

"A spectacle. We are going all out with this one and producing a show. Every song on the debut album will be sung and every favourite poem [will be performed]. The evening is set to be one to be remembered."

She says the audience should "slay" (for the old folks, that's code for being out-of-this-world incredible) in their outfits because they will be on TV.

WATCH Nomisupasta's Maybe I video

She was the first female SRC president at the University of Fort Hare and her dad wanted her to be an economist, but being creative is where Nomisupasta truly thrives. Did she always want to be a musician? What did she want to be when she was 10 years old?

"I wanted to be an artist and I wanted to be president. I think I'm well on my way."

• Nomisupasta will be performing at the Soweto Theatre on January 28 2017. Tickets R80-R250 from sowetotheatre.com. Find her music on iTunes and nomisupasta.com.