Writer: Tsakani Shingange | Photography: 5bob | Artwork: Slovo Mamphaga
Thoughful singer-songwriter, Imvemnyama is set to release his third single, Igwababa, on August 7, 2025—a track that draws on the emotional terrain of fear, hesitation, and the courage to act, particularly in matters of the heart. Following the releases of Sawa Street and you’re not who you think you are! (featuring renowned poet Makhafula Vilakazi), Igwababa continues his journey as a musical narrator of the unspoken and overlooked.
Born Sive Mqikela in Ezibeleni, Komani (formerly Queenstown), Eastern Cape, Imvemnyama developed a deep appreciation for music and performance after early encounters with Sarafina, Soul Brothers, and Stimela. His creative journey has moved between law and the arts—he is a qualified attorney currently practising in Johannesburg and also a graduate of the Wits School of Arts, where he studied jazz vocals. His work is grounded in the belief that music is both memory and messenger, and through his stage name, he assumes the role of the black sheep—imvemnyama—a figure who survives long enough to tell the stories that others cannot.
“I imagine the black sheep in the kraal,” he says.
“The one nobody wants to sell or slaughter because of its colour and what it represents. But that sheep lives on, sees everything, remembers, and sings of what happened while the rest were asleep.”
That idea forms the core of Imvemnyama’s musical philosophy: an insistence on public storytelling, on audible truths, and on reaching those who might otherwise miss the message. His work is deeply narrative, often integrating the personal with the political, and in Igwababa he turns inward, reflecting on fear—specifically, the fear of speaking up.
The term gwababa is South African township slang, describing a particular kind of nervousness or fear, especially the hesitation felt when approaching someone one is romantically interested in. In the song, Imvemnyama explores this feeling from the perspective of a young man determined to confess his interest after a visit to the therapist. What follows is a familiar tension: the quiet rituals of self-encouragement, the teasing disbelief of friends, the poetic language of old-school courtship, and the uncertainty that lingers even after the words are spoken.
“The song started from a reflection on fear,” he explains.
“We all experience it. I thought, instead of making a broad statement, let me zoom in on gwababa—something we joke about but which reveals how early we learn fear, and how it stays with us. The message is simple: act anyway. Sometimes, when you speak, you’re received. Sometimes you’re not. Either way, you’ve done something powerful.”
Sonically, Igwababa departs from his earlier releases. With the setting of the song rooted in the township or village, he forgoes the conventional drum kit in favour of percussive elements—congas, claps, taps, and a Jewish harp—to create a textured, grounded atmosphere. A smaller band arrangement ensures the vocals take centre stage, making space for vulnerability to shine through.
While Sawa Street and you’re not who you think you are! were marked by a strong political tone and elliptical narratives, Igwababa offers something more direct. It’s a song of confrontation—with self, with fear, and with longing. It is also a reminder that in a world that discourages open expression, the act of speaking—of “shooting your shot”—is a radical gesture in itself.
Igwababa will drop on August 7 on all digital streaming platforms, while an EP will follow in September 2025, marking a significant moment in Imvemnyama’s growing discography. For now, Igwababa stands as a stirring testament to vulnerability, courage, and the black sheep’s unwavering voice.
