Nhlanhla Nciza’s son Ciza chats about following in her footsteps as an artist

Born straight into the limelight with his parents being record label mogul TK Nciza and Nhlanhla Mafu, one half of the legendary music group Mafikizolo, young Ciza had his work cut out for him when he realised that his calling was to be an artist too.

In an interview with TshisaLIVE, Ciza shared how his journey has been as he tries to make a name for himself in the highly competitive music industry.

“It has been a great journey so far. I’ve really enjoyed discovering myself, my sound, my identity as a young African artist. I guess that’s the best part of the process, understanding who you are and falling in love with it before everyone else does. Making music and sharing it while constantly learning from my peers has been a great experience.”

Instead of the pressure one might expect him to feel being the son of an iconic vocalist, Ciza explained that he felt blessed to have his parents as his advisers and the sounding board off which he bounces his ideas.

“I am one of the many of course to maybe have such a grace in the industry but it’s still a privilege to have a blueprint and the guidance of those that came before me. It only helps me to see further than what they may have done and reach greater heights, That’s why we are taking it to the next level.”

Ciza said his upbringing played a huge role in helping to prepare him for this moment in his life and he is confident his time has arrived.

“No there’s no pressure, only motivation to do great things, I’ve been raised and groomed to confront the issues within the spaces I want to be in. I am confident in the teachings I have but I don’t have any pressure. I understand that my journey is my own, so is my destiny and that is what I focus on,” he said.

Having received raving reviews for his latest track, Bank Notification, Ciza said working with DJ Maphorisa was like watching a magician at work.

“It was absolutely magical. The experience has been so great, he is someone that has been working with my family for many years if you're familiar with his history. So it was easier to connect I guess. But at the same time he is such a talent and teacher but yet a humble soul. Absolutely honoured to have worked with him.

Having watched how fame affects people — through his parents — Cize mapped out how he planned to deal with living life in the public eye.

“I appreciate the work my parents did in raising me and equipping me to deal with such and one of the best ways is quite straight forward, which is to surround my myself with the right people. I believe in my team and the people behind me. I trust myself to handle these situations and trust that God will see me through the hardest of times as always,” he said.