IN CONVERSATION WITH Jabulile Majola

Adopted by a pastor’s family in rural Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal at age two, Jabulani Majola grew up alongside 26 siblings. His foundations in the church led him to discover a passion for singing at an early age. Raised bi-lingually, his obsession with language evolved into writing poetry expressed through rap songs recorded in rural studios in Greytown. Following high school, Jabulani moved to Cape Town and began to explore folk music, delving into the works of Bon Iver, Paul Simon, Joseph Shabalala, and Leonard Cohen. Inspired by their storytelling, Jabulani directed his own talent with the pen towards a project he named after his mother, Jabulile Majola. Through his writing, Jabulani explores his complex identity with tremendous vulnerability and a voice that carries a depth of emotion matched only by his poignant lyricism. His writing has gained endorsements from Samthing Soweto, Sun-El Musician, Bongeziwe Mabandla, Jeremy Loops, and Låpsley.