Singer, media personality, and radio host Unathi Nkayi credits her successful musical journey to divine inspiration. The 46-year-old artist, originally from Makhanda in the Eastern Cape, has been a key figure in South Africa’s entertainment scene for over two decades, creating music that resonates across borders.
In an interview with Daily Sun, Unathi revealed that her creative process is deeply spiritual. “I don’t write; I surrender to God. My name Unathi’uthixo means God is with us at all times. I ask Him: ‘What do you want me to share with our people? What do you want me to write? What do you want me to sing about?’ I trust in that because I believe He gave me this gift,” she explained.
For Unathi, music is not about fame or competition. Instead, she views it as a calling to share the gift she believes God gave her. “I’ve never done music to be popular or to be the best. The only reason I’ve ever done music is because it was given to me. God said: ‘You’ve got to share this.’ So, when I receive it, I share it. When I don’t speak to God or communicate with Him, He doesn’t bless me,” she said.
The We Thembisile hitmaker also reflected on the power of music to unite people, regardless of language. “It’s so powerful. I think of Tata Madiba who said: ‘Sport and music are universal languages of the world.’ It doesn’t matter what language you speak, if someone is performing well, it’ll touch you,” Unathi said.
Connecting with her audience is a deeply humbling experience for Unathi, describing it as something divine. “It’s like God is kissing us from heaven. That’s what it feels like,” she shared.
Singer, media personality, and radio host Unathi Nkayi credits her successful musical journey to divine inspiration. The 46-year-old artist, originally from Makhanda in the Eastern Cape, has been a key figure in South Africa’s entertainment scene for over two decades, creating music that resonates across borders.
In an interview with Daily Sun, Unathi revealed that her creative process is deeply spiritual. “I don’t write; I surrender to God. My name Unathi’uthixo means God is with us at all times. I ask Him: ‘What do you want me to share with our people? What do you want me to write? What do you want me to sing about?’ I trust in that because I believe He gave me this gift,” she explained.
For Unathi, music is not about fame or competition. Instead, she views it as a calling to share the gift she believes God gave her. “I’ve never done music to be popular or to be the best. The only reason I’ve ever done music is because it was given to me. God said: ‘You’ve got to share this.’ So, when I receive it, I share it. When I don’t speak to God or communicate with Him, He doesn’t bless me,” she said.
The We Thembisile hitmaker also reflected on the power of music to unite people, regardless of language. “It’s so powerful. I think of Tata Madiba who said: ‘Sport and music are universal languages of the world.’ It doesn’t matter what language you speak, if someone is performing well, it’ll touch you,” Unathi said.
Connecting with her audience is a deeply humbling experience for Unathi, describing it as something divine. “It’s like God is kissing us from heaven. That’s what it feels like,” she shared.
