With her smooth vocals and airy melodies, Babalwa M is on the rise, and she’s doing it on her own terms.
If still waters run deep, then Babalwa M carries an ocean within her. Her soul-stirring vocals and vibey stage presence have captivated audiences, propelling her to the forefront of amapiano – SA’s most popular international export in recent years. The genre is known for its deep basslines and infectious rhythms, and Babalwa M’s vocals are right there with them, riding the sounds like a wave as she soars into falsettos and grounding altos with ease.
But Babalwa M isn’t just about the sound; she’s got the style, too. Think fresh kicks and a confidence that could light up a stadium – proving you can be both lit and sophisticated. She’s shaking things up for sure, but the journey to her current status in the game wasn’t always part of the plan.
Shaping sound
One could say that music has been in Babalwa M’s life since she was a young girl. Whether it was in the choir or at a local party, she always seemed to find herself in a space where she’d be asked to sing. “I wouldn’t say I was singing full-time – it was a once-off thing,” she told TheJournalistDJ.com. “I was just that girl that people thought could sing so they’d ask to me do something at events.”
It wasn’t just the people around her who saw something in Babalwa. Her family were also part of a growing group of supporters – all of whom would encourage her to take singing seriously. “They kept saying, ‘You must do music!’ but I was like, ‘Nah, I’m not into that vibe,”’ Babalwa shared. Music wasn’t on her mind… she had other plans.
In 2015, she got her diploma in Media and Journalism, but securing a job after graduating turned out to be a struggle. Then Covid hit and the world stood still. Stuck at home during lockdown, Babalwa had to find a way to pass the time.
“I said to myself: ‘Let me get a new hobby’,” she told Newzroom Afrika. “My partner was already in the music industry. We used to be together quite a bit because there was really nothing to do. He said: ‘You know what, I need a vocalist. I have so many beats’ and I was like: ‘Bro, you know I can sing’ but in a joking manner… We recorded our first song and from then, that was it!”
Personal business
One song became two, and before long Babalwa M was being hailed as the ‘queen of private school piano’. This name is linked to music producer Kelvin Momo, her partner and most frequent collaborator – referring to more jazzy, soulful amapiano. Together, the duo was carving a lane of their own, and the fact that they were in a romantic relationship didn’t get in the way, either.
“When we’re in the studio, siya sebenza, it’s work. There’s no boyfriend, girlfriend…” she asserts. “If I don’t like the beat that he’s doing at that moment, then I say, ‘Nah, I’m not gonna be able to vibe with this one. Can we try something else?’”
@tracesouthernafrica Did you know that @Babalwa.M’s songs aren’t really from personal experiences, just vibes? 🤭 #BabalwaM #Candour #amapiano #fyp #TraceUrban ♬ original sound – Trace Southern Africa
One thing is clear: Babalwa M had a vision for her music and nothing would get in the way of that. Separating the music business from her personal life proved to not be as challenging as one would think. If anything, the two worlds blended together seamlessly. “I don’t think there’s much of a problem when it comes to balancing personal and work,” she shares. “I mean, this is what we do – we live and breathe music in the house. We like listening to jazz music, so I think that whole jazzy feel brings us together.”
While lending her soulful voice to beats may have come naturally to Babalwa, songwriting was a skill that needed exploring. “It’s something new,” she reveals. “I didn’t even think I could write, to be honest. Now every song I have, I wrote it myself. I didn’t think I had it in me! I have to be in the zone but it’s a quick thing. I start by making sounds, then they’re gonna lead me to say whatever I want to say or how I’m feeling.”
Following her first song with Kelvin in 2020, the duo recorded their first project together: a seven-track EP called Bayeke. At this point, Babalwa had fully immersed herself in the music business. “Before I was doing it for fun,” she says, “but now I’m enjoying it.” Babalwa hit the ground running. By 2021, she put out her first album with Kelvin: Aluta Continua. “I was telling a story of where my music journey started and the struggles in the entertainment industry,” she told TheJournalistDJ.Com. “Aluta continua, we’re carrying on, the struggle continues.” Through this album, Babalwa was trying to motivate others – and herself.
“In every song I do, I always tell a story,” she says. “From where I started, there’s a lot
of people that might have thought: ‘Ah, she’s not gonna make it that far.’ But I am where I am and I’m still gonna grow in the future.”
‘So Mila’ is a track that’s particularly special to her. “This song is motivating people. It says no matter what people say, you will eventually get to where you want to be if, wena, you put in the hard work. You put in each and every element that needs to be added so you can be whatever you want to be in life.”
As the years passed and her status in the industry began to grow, Babalwa continued to work with Kelvin, while also including other artists such as Mas Musiq, Stixx and Azana, to name a few. “The most important thing is our voices complementing each other,” she said in an interview. “I’m not in a hurry to collaborate with just anyone. I’m not quick to say ‘Let’s work’ when I’m not sure if their sound is gonna make sense with my sound.”
Babalwa M is intentional with her music and, as her fanbase grew, more people began praising her sound and vocal prowess. “When I get those comments, it’s pressure for me to be even better than I was. Whatever I’m gonna drop next, I need to make sure it’s better than this project that I just dropped.”
New horizons
Fast-forward to recent times, and one could say those initial worries sorted themselves out. This year, BabalwaM released her highly anticipated EP Pisces, which went on to be featured on the Spotify Soul Piano Hot Hits South Africa playlist. “Initially it was supposed to come out in February because I’m a Pisces – that’s my star sign,” she told Newzroom Afrika. “I actually wanted people to get to know me more.
I didn’t even think I could write to be honest. Now every song I have, I wrote it myself
I dropped my first EP and then I dropped an album, but I think that people still didn’t know who I really am,” she shared. “I wanted to reintroduce myself. With the intro to my new EP, that’s just me introducing people to another genre I’d like to venture into because it’s not really piano,” she says of the album. “It’s a fusion of Afrobeat, a little bit of R&B, a bit of jazz, a bit of everything.”
It’s been four years of sharing her music with the masses, and one could say she’s solidified her name in the amapiano space, but Babalwa is ready for more. “I don’t want people to know me as just an amapiano vocalist because I’m pretty much doing everything in studio. I’m exploring a lot of other genres.” With a solid catalogue proven to stir the heart and mind, one thing is certain: when it comes to Babalwa M, we’re only at the tip of the iceberg – there’s so much more in store for us all.
Fast facts
Full name: Babalwa Mavuso
DOB: 26 February
Star sign: Pisces
Hometown: Protea Glen, Soweto
Hidden talent: Soccer
Keep up with Babalwa
Facebook: Babalwa M
Instagram: @babalwa__m
Youtube: @BabalwaM
X: @Babalwa_m
By: Geraldine Amoko
Photos: Instagram @babalwa__m/Courtesy Images
