'Pain & grief' kept Zonke from performing in PE

After four years of staying away from performing in her hometown due to the pain and memories of having lost family members, musician Zonke Dikana is finally "strong" enough to take her music home.

Speaking to TshisaLIVE, Zonke shared that she has only recently mastered enough strength to go back home to Port Elizabeth to perform since her last concert there in 2013.

"It's always been hard for me to perform in PE due to the fact that most of my immediate family members are no more. It's only now that I've put together enough strength to focus on the people that have supported me since day one and put my fears aside," she explained.

Zonke said that some of her fondest memories of growing up in PE was walking  to school and singing with her sisters. Her older sister Lulu Dikana died after a short illness in December 2014.

The musician also added that she found music to be the only "safe" outlet for her to reveal details of her personal life and her journey of healing.

She explained that it allowed her the freedom to choose what and how much of her life she shares.

"I feel how personal info is relayed determines how it's received. If I choose to tell my story through my music at least I'm responsible for the outcome, I'm in charge. It's up to me to decide how much of my truth to put out and when, besides the truth makes the best songs," she said.

Zonke is notorious with staying away from the spotlight unless she is singing her heart out on stage. She explained that she loves that music allows her control over how much of her life she shares despite her "celebrity status".

The musician said her fans can expect a musical journey at her concert, promising to take them from her first album in SA to a sneak preview into her upcoming album. She described the upcoming concert as a serious "roller coaster ride". 

Zonke said fans can look forward to her next album which will be ready next year. 

"I release albums every four years, so my next offering will only be out around April 2018; thank goodness people seem to collect my music instead of throwing away one album for the next, she said.

Zonke's Homecoming Concert will take place on August 20 in PE, Boardwalk Convention Centre.