WELZ ON MUSIC, COVID-19

Welile ‘Welz’ Nxumalo is an independent singer and songwriter, born and raised in Eswatini but based in Toronto, Canada. She writes her music with intent to capture her listeners through personal story-telling and emoting.

Her passion for listening to music to get through hard times or celebrate happy moments has inspired her desire to create music to give to others what music has given her.

She writes from an authentic place and hopes that her story, through music, will be relatable, fun and inspiring.
She just released her first single ‘Trust Issues’ on March 17,  2020.
It’s a very introspective record that speaks on the journey she’s been on to healing and self-care, an important aspect we often ignore as we get older and responsibilities take up most of our energy. With that being said, she’s excited to release more songs and let everyone in on her interpretation of life through her music.

GCWALA caught up with the song bird who took us into her world and shared her coping mechanism during this pandemic.
Her interview was one of a kind as she took us into her journey with love and respect.

Who is Welz?
I am Welile Nxumalo by birth, from Pigg’s Peak, Eswatini. I’m a musician in this context but I have a lot of other interests and passions that occupy my time. My purpose is honestly just to make a positive impact on people in any way I can. I was born into this world with nothing and I want to leave behind something positive and meaningful in my lifetime. You can see that in my personality too I think I’m generally a happy plus a positive person and I try to project that kind of energy to others as well. Not to say I never have a bad day, but I think I have a pretty introspective outlook on life and I’m looking forward to people seeing that through the music I write.

What does Music mean to you?
Music is so important! I’ve had a lot of reasons to cry, laugh, celebrate, be empowered among other emotions and all I need is the right song to go with that feeling. Music has been an outlet for me, it’s been therapy: whether I’m listening to or writing my own songs. I just think it’s a very powerful gift that God gave us because he knew that life would not always seem easy and we would need something that we could all understand in the same way and gain perspective on whatever we are dealing with. Music has the power to do that and is a very personal experience for everyone. We could all listen to the same song and it could mean so many different things to each one of us and to different situations. That’s special and important.

What inspires you?
I’m inspired by a lot of things, people especially. People’s personal stories, especially older people. Maybe it’s because I was brought up by my grandparents,  but I learnt a lot from their stories and experiences in life. There’s so much wisdom in their eyes and my soul connects to that. I don’t live in Eswatini to see my grandma anymore but I try to surround myself with people who push and inspire me to be the best version of myself. I read books as well,  about personalities who I admire and I want to channel their outlook on life into my own.

What have you learnt so far being in the music industry?
It’s definitely not an easy industry to be in. The rules, trends and the business side of things are constantly evolving and it can be difficult to keep up especially as an independent artist. It’s important to have some good connections and people who can sort of guide you or people you can share your ideas with and get constructive feedback. I think it is important to be yourself and stay true to what your message is, not allowing people to box you in. It’s okay to evolve and try different things until you find what works for you and what connects you to fans or listeners. I definitely don’t claim to know what I’m doing all the time , but I  try to educate myself on the business side of it . I’ve made mistakes but I learn from them and try to do better on the next project.

What can people expect from you?
There’s definitely more music coming soon. I have been writing songs for a little while now. ‘Trust Issues’ was the first release from that ‘project’. I am going to be releasing more singles within the next months and try to connect with listeners. I am also looking forward to doing live shows. That was kind of the plan for 2020, but we’re on lockdown so I’m staying put, but as soon as that’s done I’ll be working out how to organise a show in Eswatini as well. To keep up with my plans, people can follow me on my Instagram page, I will be announcing most of these plans there. My handle is @simply_welz.

Where can people hear your music?
My music is available on all streaming platforms: YouTube, itunes, apple music, spotify, amazon music, tidal, google play music, soundcloud. I have links in my Instagram bio @simply_welz

Do you have any projects in the pipeline?
I certainly do. As I mentioned before, I’m planning on releasing some singles then eventually an Extended Play (EP) project probably later on in the year. I just want to have people listen to the different music I have for the singles, see if they vibe with that, then I’ll release the EP.

How are you coping with the current pandemic?
I’m lucky enough to still have a job, I work in the mining industry in their Technology and Applications Department and I’m so grateful that I am able to work from home during this lockdown. In-between work, I work on my music, I try to schedule breaks to do some workouts, listen to online sermons and of course keep up with the news on what’s going on globally amid the crisis. I’m also just working on myself right now, trying to figure how I want to structure my life after the lock down because so much is going to change. I am busy basically, LOL!

What advice can you share?
Stay home people! But also stay in touch with your loved ones. This is something that’s a working progress for me as well, but I think if you are alone it’s important to call someone at least once a day. It’s important for our mental health. If not for you then for the other person who might be having a hard time and feeling depressed. It’s not easy being so isolated and alone. I definitely have a greater appreciation for human interaction right now.

Name five things you are currently doing during the lockdown period?
l I’m reading a book called Circe right now, that keeps my mind of the noise.
l I work out for at least for an day and take periodical 15 min walks outside to breath in some fresh air.
l I am drinking lots of water.
l I am constantly updating my vision board.
l I meditate and pray every morning before I start my day.

Name five things people don’t know about you.
l I’m very emotional, LOL. I think that’s why I’m a musician, it’s my emotional outlet.
l I’m a tech nerd.
l I do not have a sweet tooth.
l I love reading self-help books.
l I love everything about Maya Angelou – I feel like I can relate to her story,

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: