Five minutes with Nakhane Toure: SA will always be home'

Five minutes with Nakhane Toure: SA will always be home'UK-based South African musician Nakhane Toure shares his thoughts on his latest music, being an expat and South African Pride Month.

by Simnikiwe Hlatshaneni

28-10-2022 22:23

in Music

South African musician Nakhane Toure is cementing his comeback with a two recent single releases, an upcoming tour and hopes to perform in SA again. Image via Twitter @Nakhaneofficial

It's been a busy month for South African-born music rebel, novelist and actor Nakhane Toure.

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The voice behind one of Black Coffee's biggest hits, Dance Again, has just released the single Tell Me Your Politik featuring with guitarist Nile Rogers and a ferocious rap verse from the incomparable Moonchild Sanelly.

Nakhane Toure, Moonchild Sanelly and Nile Rogers's Tell Me Your Politik'

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Nakhane is also working on an album comeback several years after his debut, You Will Not Die.

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Interviewing the London-based pop musician was a mission as he has been rehearsing for his upcoming tour and shooting music videos for the last few months. Nakhane has also started to compose again.

DO YOU WELL music video dropping this thursday / 6pm BST

I ll be live streaming following the premiere to discuss the track, the music video and answer all of your burning questions. set your reminders: https://t.co/s3j6UFxocj pic.twitter.com/xyfjpNwobM

NAKHANE (@nakhaneofficial) October 25, 2022

South Africans have an energy that no one else has Although it's been several years since he left the country on the heels of his controversial acting debut in The Wound, Nakhane cannot wait to perform in South Africa again.

His experimental, but catchy, new hit with Moonchild is both a continued evolution of their outlandish, indie pop style and a leaning towards current trends with amapiano and afro-beats elements.

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He wrote the song in two different countries, before reaching out to Moonchild to collaborate on it.

I started writing the song in my apartment one night in Brixton (London). Very unlike me; but I started with the chorus. It came first. I went to Ghent, Belgium to write , and I finished it there. The song went through some changes and a when I wanted a feature on it Moonchild was a no-brainer. Not only do I love her general outlook, I am also a stan, said Nakhane.

Releasing a new music video this week for his second single of the year, Do You Well, Nakhane said he can't wait to share his new music with South African audiences.

Although he isn't currently booked to perform in his home country, it's definitely on the cards in the future.

I love performing at home. South Africans have an energy that no one else has. And it's home, so it's always more special when I play these songs for that audience, they gush.

FLYING THE SA FLAG ABROAD Although Nakhane's career and personal life has thrived in their five years living in London, South Africa will always be home.

Having left in his mid-20s to live in London, the singer says his new life has forced him to be a survivor and a fighter. It has also opened his eyes to new experiences he otherwise might never have encountered at home. Despite this, South Africa remains home politically and geographically .

To stay connected to his roots, Nakhane keeps daily contact with family and friends back home.

He also keeps his social media feeds proudly South African. Nakhane said that he prefers the chaotic humour of South Africa's colourful social media culture.

This philosophy of staying true to the self, extends to creativity. He reckons that as much as he has evolved as a creative since leaving the country, he discovers more of his authentic self every day.

TELL ME YOUR POLITIK FEAT. @Moonsanelly & @nilerodgers OUT EVERYWHERE NOW

listen here: https://t.co/4TQRnWQoa6 pic.twitter.com/ihGj1kLD1e

NAKHANE (@nakhaneofficial) July 13, 2022

I believe I'm getting closer to the version of myself I've always fantasised about. Having said that I'm all about change and experimentation, so I like to try new things. I get bored very easily, you see.

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SOUTH AFRICAN PRIDE MONTH Like millions of South Africans, Nakhane recognises October as South African Pride Month, which celebrates the LGBTQI community. As an openly queer black South African, he has publicly faced relentless homophobia.

The 2016 release of The Wound which deals with homosexuality in traditional settings, set off one the country's biggest controversies around homophobia and censorship. Concerned groups called for the movie to be banned or age-restricted after it emerged that it depicted sexual scenes involving two men.

Where he lives now, however, political powers appear to be moving towards more anti-LGBTQI sentiments as far-right opinions are beginning to inform policy.

It seems Europe is moving towards the far right everyday, and I always remind myself of our constitution; that's one of the most liberal in the world. It gives me hope. Of course there's still a lot of work to do, but I look at young people now and I believe there's a lot to be hopeful about.

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LINK:	https://www.thesouthafrican.com/culture/music/five-minutes-with-nakhan...
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