Thursday Music Feature - Mzeezolyt Empress

     

She is an angel with a golden voice, an ambitious and strong character. Mzeezolyt Empress is a singer, vocalist, live performer, artist, lover and friend. We decided to catch up with her and her musical activities to find out more about where she comes from, who she is and what she's about. 

P.S Her and I go way back...

Photo by Maziza Mtwisha Styled and Dressed by Nubian Couture

      Angela Nimah: Take us through who Zanele is? What does she do for a living? Where is she from? What is her background?

Mzeezolyt Empress: LOL, well firstly I hardly use that name *hides*. Mzeezolyt rather, is a young woman who basically doesn't have or believe in any limits. I am doing my music and art on a full time basis, meaning absolutely EVERYTHING revolves around my art.

Before I get into what I love doing let me tell you a bit about myself. I was born in Randfontein and raised in several places after that (too many to mention) until finally settling in Boksburg. I live with my mother, two sisters and nephew.

I come from a very loving family, less supportive at times because of what I do, you know, they tend to not understand because my art can be a bit too extreme for them to handle. Let me elaborate, my life style entails me to be a very social person, which means I’m hardly at home or always arrive at early hours of the morning. They sometimes don’t understand that part, eish but it’s the clothes that I chose to wear that is the biggest no, no LOL, hahaha they refuse to walk with me in public, that’s how different I am from my family! But of cause they keep me grounded.

      Angela Nimah: When did your music career start?

Mzeezolyt Empress: Well in a more professional sense, I’ll say in 2012. But honestly, I have been singing for longer than I can remember. I remember when I was about 9 or 10, my mom’s friend use to enter my sister and I into these singing competitions LOL, of course I didn't really understand what was going on back then.

I've entered sooooo many singing competitions such as Idols, High School Musical and Coca Cola Pop Stars and I've gotten so close to winning that when I eventually didn't in the 2010 Coca Cola Pop stars( which was my last audition ever), I concentrated more on my Fine arts because I just thought I wasn't ready for a “music career”.

And I have to say that the rejections that I have come across before this point, have actually been a blessing because I have grown and matured to fully understand and appreciate my craft *smiles*.

      Angela Nimah: How does music affect you and the world around you?

Mzeezolyt Empress: Nimah, you might have heard this one before but I am one of those artists who will tell anyone who asks that I cannot exist without sound!

I believe that music is and exists in anything and everything. The sounds I hear when I awake, when I make coffee, my footsteps and of course, the many voices I hear in my head. It’s all sounds and thus music.

The love and respect I have for music cannot be put in simple terms. Music affects me in such a way that I can see myself existing in a world without any other being but myself and music. A day will not pass without me humming or belting out a tune. Music is my existence and I exist in music.

My family has learnt to accept the noise I make because the love I have for it, transcends and no one can fight it, or me. I am because of sound!

Angela Nimah: Take us through the music-making process – how do you go about writing a song?

Mzeezolyt Empress: Well LOL, I actually have a weird or unorthodox manner of ‘writing’ a song. Well firstly I don’t write… well… hahaha… I don’t know friend, it just comes to me LOL. Okay let me make an example, the other day I was looking for my flask in my room and I stepped in and started repeating these words which eventually became a song ‘where edidit where edidit I pudi, I pudit on de flow, I pudi on de flow’ hahahahaha, its funny but I've gotten used to the way new words and sounds come to me.

Most of my best songs were created when I was probably doing the dishes or doing laundry. To sum it all up, I don’t set a day to ‘write’ a song, I allow it to happen naturally without me planning it.

Emotion and experience plays a huge part in this natural process as well because when I’m happy, sad, angry or whatever… words and melodies just come and I just take advantage of the voice recorder I have on my mobile *laughs*.

Angela Nimah:  You went to the National School of Arts – how has that changed your life in terms of being an artist and how did it come about that you became a student at NSA?

Mzeezolyt Empress: Ooooh yes!!!!!!!! Those where the best years of my school life! If there is one place I would go back to, it would be The National School of Arts. Trust me when I say, I wouldn't be who I am today as an artist if it wasn't for the experiences and lessons gained from that school.

No one really knows this, but I didn't get into NSA the ‘normal way’ as everyone I knew did.

I went to NSA for two years( 2008- 2009) but before that, I had auditioned to study there in 2005, then I got a scholarship to study at Rand Private School so ended up not enrolling. In 2006 I auditioned again at NSA for music, but unfortunately I was not accepted because of the lack of music theory. Instead of giving up, I auditioned again in 2007 for the year 2008 but this time for art, and again I was told that I couldn't study there because of, this time, the lack of art theory I had…hahahaahaha I know it was funny actually… but of course because of the strong character I've always had, I didn't give up.

On the last day of school in 2007, I wrote a 6 page letter to the principal of NSA insisting that it was unfair that I am good at what I do, but can’t study at the one school that I love just because of a ‘lack of knowledge’ that I could easily learn in a year.

2008, I enrolled at the National School of the Arts for art… the rest is history! LOL

      Angela Nimah:  So now, I've known you for many, many years LOL – and I've seen you grow         into this confident, unstoppable person. What are some of the hurdles you've faced in this               industry as well as life in general for you to have come full circle?

Mzeezolyt Empress: LOL, you know you are my girl! Well babe, you are going to be very surprised to hear this, but with all the confidence and drive you saw me with back in high school, I have to say that I had to hit rock bottom for me to realise my greatness.

After high school, life went HAMMM on a sister. I studied at the Wits University for two years, until my father decided to disappear or abandon me and I basically had two choices. One, I don’t have anyone to pay for my tuition so it’s either I drop out of school, or be a women and take control of my life and make a plan.

Nimah, I then became a ‘skwata’ at the Wits University for less than two years straight because I didn't have fare to travel from home to school every day. I moved into the Wits School of Arts building, slept in places such as the library, computer labs and even toilet cubicles with nothing but my clothes placed on the floor and one blanket that I got from a former friend.

My music and art kept me grounded during this time as; I sold my paintings and had performances to raise funds to pay for my tuition. I just didn't want to give up you know, to the point where abnormal, seemed VERY normal to me and my state of mind and health was starting to get affected. People that I considered as friends, drew away from me, didn't believe in me and most just thought I was being stupid putting myself in that situation, but the thing is I didn't have it easy like them, I didn't have welcoming parents to run to and rescue me. I chose to be an adult and chose to fight for what I wanted, I believed in a bigger picture and never saw my situation as my reality. I eventually decided that even though I wouldn't finish my degree at Wits, I would have to move on as I just found that I was fighting sooooo hard to be in an institution that only recognised me as a number and nothing else. So I moved on.

I went back home after finding a full time job and quit after two months to do my music and art full time. I was at work one day and I was trying to sell a product to a customer and there it was, it hit me… What am I doing? Why am I disregarding the gifts I have been blessed with? Who do I think I am? Is this what I have become? I went back home that day and never went back to work again.

I've come full circle because I realised that, if it doesn't have anything to do with what I love, it won’t work, I will struggle and I won’t be happy. The first thing I did was email clubs in Arts on Main, Melville, Newtown and Joburg CBD for shows and Zen at Arts on Main has been my biggest blessing. I recently organised my first photo-shoot and it was amazing!

I was whole, I AM WHOLE! *tears*

Make Up artist, Designer and Stylist of Nubian Couture: Tshepang Segogodi

Zee at Photo Shoot

Angela Nimah:     Besides the internet, pop culture, South African culture and the music that you listen to, who and what inspire your music?

Mzeezolyt Empress: Experiences more than anything hey… and of course the people who are part of those experiences who then evoke different emotions, senses and of course feelings that bring back memories that linger in my mind and thus become an inspiration for my music!

Angela Nimah:   Who have you worked with and who are you yet to work with musically?

Mzeezolyt Empress: Yooh friend, ok uhm… lol… well most of the people that I have worked with are more ‘underground’ in a sense that I basically prefer to work with people who are trying to ‘come up’ like I am. I have worked with various hip hop artists (under 4theloveENT) such as Basic, Kid Platto, Vinnie Damiani, Bludola and Kzac. I have also worked with artists such as Lesedi Dipheko( we went to high school with her), Ibokwe and lots more that I am probably forgetting to mention… sorry!

I am excited because I am yet to work with Mpande Core, it’s all still in the works. I have an international gig that I will be a part of (can’t say much about it right now lol), I promise to give u an exclusive once everything is confirmed ne...LOL

I’m not really focusing on local collaborations only, but I would looooove to work with Toya Delazy and Misha B. That’s my mission.

…and of cause we need to jump on a project boo!

      Angela Nimah: When you’re an all-round artist like yourself, often one is open to a lot of                 negativity and people with hidden agendas and ulterior motives; we've all seen this - How               important is it to keep work separate from play and how important is it to be protective of               one’s craft – should one be protective of their craft and to what extent?

Mzeezolyt Empress: I am learning each and every day now that I am doing this on a full time basis, that my ‘laid back, let’s have fun’ character, doesn't always work in my favour especially when it comes to my craft. I tend to be too kind and welcoming to the point where I don’t immediately notice when someone comes into my life to capitalise on my hard work.

You don’t necessarily have to separate work from play because personally, I love having fun when I’m working, my craft allows me to. But then again it is very important to keep people who know your struggle and appreciate and respect your hustle to the point where they want to support you rather than gain from what you are doing. Trust me when I say, I have come across many who just want to go for a ride with me, have it easy and that time I’m doing all the work.

So it’s up to an individual to be protective with their craft to whatever extent they want. What works for me is that, everything I am, I own! I manage and control everything that I do, until I find someone I can really trust to take over the business aspect of my craft, that being my art and music.

Angela Nimah: Your style has evolved over the years - How important is image?

Mzeezolyt Empress:Well look nuna, I don’t wake up in the morning and plan what I want to wear for the day. Whatever I feel like, I wear and fortunately it always ends up making sense (well to me), I don’t really pay attention to what people think of my style.

So I won’t really say that it’s my first priority but I make sure whatever I’m wearing, brings out my fun, don’t care- character lol. IM A DRAMA QUEEN!

Angela Nimah: .  Tell us about your sense of style.

Mzeezolyt Empress: One word- Spontaneous!

Angela Nimah: What does being independent mean to you?

Mzeezolyt Empress: It means having complete control over your decisions, choices actions, being able to do as you please at any time, without disregarding the existence of others. Being complete, existing while having to not lean on another. Just living…

Angela Nimah: You’re clearly changing the spheres and dynamics of live entertainment – Are you planning to hit the booth any time soon, if you haven’t already?

Mzeezolyt Empress: Lol, you are definitely on point there! I’m actually juggling being in the booth and performing live. I just can’t see myself NOT perform.

Being on stage completes me. I get to show people what I can do rather than having them only listen. I’m currently working on and EP where I’m exploring sounds and the power of voice without any added sound- acapella. Let me just say that at the moment, I’m stuck between an afro house project and acapella project. Who knows, I might even drop two projects… let’s wait and see yeah!*wink*

Angela Nimah: What does being a revolutionary artist mean to you?

Mzeezolyt Empress: Honestly boo, I don’t want to sound like a know it all and give you an answer full of bombastic words with no unified meaning. What I can say though, is this- I don’t know, I’m still trying to grow in this space, realise my role and learn, than one day fully understand my calling, than I will fully know what it means to be a revolutionary artist. Fair? *giggles*

Angela Nimah: How important is it for women to embrace themselves and their self-love and self-worth?

Mzeezolyt Empress: I won’t act as though I have all the answers, but I have been through a lot more than most women I know and I’m still learning to love myself completely. So I will say this, it is important as women, a giver of life, an important factor of existence, to love, cherish, respect and most importantly acknowledge your power and importance. Love yourself; be kind to yourself for no one will ever do it better than you!

Angela Nimah: What are you currently listening to – let us in into your playlist?

Mzeezolyt Empress: Hahahahahaha I actually have a playlist for different times of the day or else I can’t function. But I’m currently really into my “sleeping” playlist:

Mariah Carey- Hate U

Brandy- Fall

Beyonce- 1+1

Beyonce- Best Thing I Never Had

Beyonce- Dance For You

Beyonce- Heaven

Beyonce- Resentment

BoysIIMen- Doing Just Fine

Chris Brown- Crawl

Chris Brown- Don’t Judge Me

Fantasia, Kelly Rowland, Missy Elliot- Without Me

Neyo- Better Today

Rihanna- A Million Miles Away

Rihanna- Emergency Room

Rihanna- What Now

Tony Braxton, Babyface- Hurt You

Trey Songz- Heart Attack

*don’t ask lol*

Angela Nimah: I’d like for us to open up an art gallery *sticks tongue out* is that possible?

Mzeezolyt Empress: YES!!!! Let’s do the right thing <3

Angela Nimah:   Tell us more about you as a painter and illustrator?

Mzeezolyt Empress: It’s simple really. I’m a realist! I enjoy recreating what I have seen before, whether it being in my dreams or in my everyday activities. I love being able to take an image, no matter how bad it is and recreating it and representing it in a different light.

I’m more than a painter, I’m a visual artist. I sculpt, draw, take pictures and install. I am an explorer, a lover of life and all its creations and have to say that I capitalise on the power-more than a talent- of being able to recreate!

Angela Nimah: What would you say to anyone wanting to pursue this sort of career or any career within the arts?

Mzeezolyt Empress: I would tell them to know what they want, have a plan of how to get it and have the correct resources, strength, passion, love and skill to sustain it once they have it. Don’t do something because you see it working for someone else, believe in what you can do and you can never go wrong.

This is a wonderful environment to exist in, but you need to have a backbone because not many who enter into this field live long enough to share their stories of success if they reached it.

Angela Nimah: .  How can they get hold of you – any social sites, links, handles?

Mzeezolyt Empress: Facebook Page: Mzeezolyt- Artist

Twitter Handle: mzeezolyt_e

Youtube Channel: Mzeezolyt

Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/mzeezolyt

Instagram: Mzeezolyte

Bookings: mzeezolyt@gmail.com

© Angela Nimah 2014 Revolution Validates Life™