Nakhane visited the ghosts of his past ahead of new album

Nakhane, formerly known as Nakhane Touré, has been through a journey of self-discovery which took him from writing a book to acting in his first feature film, dropping his surname and releasing a brand new album. A journey that has seen him face the traumas and ghosts of his past.

Nakhane celebrated the release of his second album as a musician, and first under the name Nakhane, on Friday, and told TshisaLIVE that the making of the album brought a "cocktail of emotions".

"I had to go back to my childhood traumas and some of the places, like churches, that held ghosts of my past. The thing is, you face it at first but after a while you gain control over it. You look back and realise it is just a ghost and it can't hurt you."

The raw emotion is one that hangs heavy over the album and is the central theme of it.

"The story it is trying to tell is in the album's name: You Will Not Die. It is about hope. I think that is the one thing that life has taught me over the last few years." 

So far the album has been received well overseas and Nakhane hopes that it will have a similar impact in South Africa. 

"My first album was a critical success but was a bit of a commercial flop. If it does better than that I will be happy. At the end of the day I made this album with my heart and if it isn't received well then I will still be happy with what I have created."

Nakhane's name has made headlines recently for not only his music but also as the lead actor in the controversial film Inxeba (The Wound) which was banned from local cinemas for a time.

Nakhane responded angrily to the ban but said it has at least kept his name on people's lips.

"Looking at it just professionally, more people knew about me. They were talking about me. Shooting the film was emotionally and psychologically draining- I am still talking to my psychologist- but looking back it was worth it because I got to tell a story. It was a story I was passionate about."

The release of the film coincided with opportunities in Europe, which Nakhane grabbed with both hands.

"I always saw myself as a bit of a nomad. A wanderer. Maybe because it was always looking for a place to belong, a place to fit in. So, the move to Europe wasn't difficult at all. Would I move back to South Africa? I would move back. I love South Africa. It is just that my story is not yet done."

Some of that story he aims to tell in his second book, which he hopes to release by 2020. 

"It is mapped out and I know what I want to write but I don't think I have the time. Or maybe it is that I don't yet have the courage. One thing I know is when I start, I won't stop."