“Mina nginguNkosiphile Ketumile Dewa, insizwa encane ephuma phansi phetsheya eGungwe, emangweni”, the young and extremely passionate award winning Afropop star does not shy introducing himself.
He is a unique character who showcases his traditional and cultural practices as a pure African who is a proudly Sotho descendent, something that young people of his age often shun.
Known as Kay Kid Umfanomsotho in the arts and entertainment sector, Nkosiphile is a Ndebele by socialization as he was raised by his aunt who is a Ndebele. His art is in Sotho and Ndebele, same applies to his birth names, Nkosiphile (Ndebele) and Ketumile (Sotho). He reveals that he can speak Sotho, however he is not fluent in the language perhaps because he did not grow up in an enabling environment with Sotho speakers and that at school he learnt Ndebele. The little that he knows about the language, he ensures that it is applied to his music as he is proudly Sotho.
“I portray the Ndebele and Sotho culture in my art in several ways, my dressing is Sotho with ijali, induku lengwani, for anyone who is not aware of how the Sotho people dress I am a pure representation of the Sotho dresscode. Umuntu uhle ebone ukuthi siyambatha thina ingubo all the way from Lesotho ngoba bagqoka njalo. My lyrics are largely in Ndebele with Sotho phrases here and there. Those not familiar with the Sotho culture can get an appreciation of who we are and how we live from my art”.
Kay Kid explains that his art is indigenous and original, “Ngiyenza engikuphilayo, ngiqgoko engiyikho khona, ngendlela engiyiyo yona, the language I use ihambelana legama lami elilesiSotho lesiNdebele dresscode and the language I am using kuhambelana lami. The way I present myself on stage, videos and my music is different as I bring out the African child in me, something that is scarce here in Zimbabwe”. His sound is Afro Pop, music that he says it appeals to both the young and old who can gladly listen and relate to it in every aspect of his music including his lyrics. He says that his songs are like painkillers where he is able to deal with people’s emotions and bring happiness to those in pain through his soothing rhythmic and lyrical content in his songs.
Kay Kid Umfanomsotho believes that his passion for the arts industry is a calling, he refers to it as “ubizo”, he says that he loved singing while at school where he used to be in a drama club, he would also start songs in choir groups,
He has always had a passion for music since his high school days at Mzinyathini High where he used to perform under the Imbazo drama club, leading in songs and he was also part of the school choir. “I started singing at high school choir and drama group then one day I just decided to write something that I later recorded and the response was overwhelming, it was amazing how people began to ask when I was likely to drop another song and this encouraged me a lot to seriously focus on music”.
“A high school friend of mine who used to be also part of the school choir motivated me to go to the studio as I was highly encouraged by what he did soon as we finished from 4. He went to the studio and recorded his first song that he shared with me, ngayizwa imnandi ingoma yakhe and I felt challenged and this is why I had to write something down, got to the studio and recorded a hip hop trap song called Basidlela umona”.
“Hey ngabalesikhwele esikhulu honestly esangikhuthaza ukuthi lami ngizame, kuyinto enhle ayenzayo eyangikhuthazayo he surely influenced me to get into the studio to record”. He laughingly states that jealousy influenced and encouraged him to record his first song, since then he never looked back as he is releasing hits that get played on national radio stations. His works are widely recognized not only locally but internationally, he is indeed a hard worker quite optimistic about a positive future in the music industry. Kay Kid also believes that art is in his blood, it’s a calling that gives him all the wisdom to excel in whatever he does. He discloses that he is largely inspired by Emtee, Blaq Diamond, Sjava and Aubrey Qwana in as far as his music is concerned.
Kay Kid has so far released the following five singles, Ngimtholile ft Fab_G Mshanakagogo, Shona Malanga ft B.L.U.E Nyambose from Durban in South Africa, Lengoma, Ubambo lwam and Ngyavuma ft Zhezhingtons. He has also released the Ehlathini Live sessions, a compilation of his songs, the sessions were shot in the bush as his genre allows him to be in such places. Umfanomsotho recently released a music video called Imibuzo.
This young man has made crowd thrilling performances in various functions such the Black Diamond Show, XQ show as well as the AAG function. He has also exhibited his art at the Miss Gwanda culture at Asima conference room, the all black (red carpet event) at Gwanda hotel and at the.Tsunami album launch for Master Zhoe at Gwanda district club at several weddings and parties. When he performed alongside the Black diamond, his main sources of inspiration , he demonstrated his talent in such a way that he felt like it was his first time on stage,
In 2021 Kay Kid Umfanomsotho scooped two awards, the Best Afropop song award and the best video of the year award at The Eminent in Sports Music and Academic Awards (TESMA) organized by the Edu Foundation Trust, an event that was held at the Gwanda District club.
Kay Kid believes that people must be reminded of who they are and where they come from as he says “Kuqakathekile ukuthi abantu bazi imvelaphi yabo, imvunulo, inkolo lolimi lemisebenzi engabaphilisa”
Ukuqakatheka kwemvelaphi yethu kuyasisiza on how we present ourselves in public, lokwazi ukuthi sikholelwa entweni ezinjani, sisuke sibekwazi ukuthi kuyini okuzilwayo, kuncedisa ukwazi ukuthi Senzeni singenzeni.
