South African singer and songwriter Mthunzi has opened up about the difficult journey behind his success, revealing that financial challenges and uncertainty once threatened to slow his career before his collaboration with Kabza De Small helped reignite his confidence and place him firmly back in the mainstream.
Speaking to TheJournalistDJ.com backstage at Scorpion Kings Live, Mthunzi reflected on his journey while fresh from performing in front of a massive crowd that sang along to his music.
Although his in-ear monitors meant he couldn’t fully hear the audience during his performance, hearing afterwards that fans were singing along clearly meant something to him.
“I’m very honoured,”
he said.
“It’s Been Tough, But Sweet”
For audiences, Mthunzi’s recent chapter has been defined by major records, high-profile collaborations and increasingly bigger stages. Behind that success, however, has been a much more complicated journey.
Asked how he would describe his career so far, Mthunzi summed it up simply: “It’s been tough, but sweet.”
The “sweet” part, he explained, comes from his love for music. The difficult side has included the financial realities that confront artists trying to build sustainable careers.
Mthunzi explained that talent alone is often not enough. Recording music is one part of the journey, but releasing, marketing and creating visuals around that music requires money.
He pointed to music videos as one example, noting that being talented doesn’t automatically mean someone will produce a video for an artist for free.
For Mthunzi, many of the challenges he encountered ultimately came back to the same issue: money.
The Difficult Gap After His Earlier Breakthrough
Mthunzi also reflected on the quieter period that followed his earlier work, describing a gap between his previous album era and his eventual return to greater mainstream visibility.
During that period, he continued creating.
He revealed that even before releasing music with Kabza De Small, he had already accumulated a catalogue of songs, including Afro-pop material he considered releasing.
But uncertainty crept in.
“I’ve got so many songs,” Mthunzi explained, adding that some of the material existed long before his collaboration with Kabza.
After spending time away from the centre of the mainstream conversation, he found himself questioning what his next move should be.
That period, he suggested, was also where some of the challenges surrounding his career became particularly difficult.
Kabza De Small Brought “Light” Back Into His Life
Then came Kabza De Small.
Mthunzi described his collaboration with the Amapiano heavyweight as an important turning point — not simply commercially or musically, but personally.
He explained that working with Kabza brought “light into my life again”, giving him renewed belief in what was possible for his career.
The partnership ultimately became one of the most significant chapters in Mthunzi’s journey, introducing his distinctive vocals and songwriting to an even broader audience.
For an artist who had experienced uncertainty about how to navigate his next chapter, the collaboration provided fresh momentum.
“It was sweet,” he said of the experience.
Mthunzi Is Now Working With His Younger Brother
While his partnership with Kabza has become a defining part of his recent story, Mthunzi is also looking closer to home for the next phase of his musical journey.
He revealed that he is currently working with his younger brother, Funda, an emerging producer, singer and songwriter.
Mthunzi jokingly described his brother as his “photocopy”, suggesting that the two share many of the same musical instincts and abilities.
“He’s very dope. He’s like me, exactly,” Mthunzi said.
He encouraged listeners to look out for his younger brother as he begins establishing himself in the industry.
The revelation points towards another interesting creative chapter for Mthunzi, particularly as he continues sitting on a substantial amount of unreleased music.
“Don’t Stop Dreaming”
Beyond discussing music, Mthunzi used the interview to leave fans with a message about pursuing their ambitions.
“Don’t stop dreaming,” he said, while stressing that dreams also have to be accompanied by getting up and putting in the work.
It is advice that closely mirrors his own story.
His journey has included periods of financial difficulty, uncertainty and time away from mainstream attention, but Mthunzi continued creating music throughout those challenges. His eventual partnership with Kabza De Small opened another chapter — one that has taken him back onto some of South Africa’s biggest stages.
And for fans wondering about another part of Mthunzi’s life, the singer ended the conversation with a playful clarification.
He confirmed that he is not married — but quickly added that he isn’t looking either.
“Don’t look at me,” he joked. “Listen to my music.”
