Rethabile Khumalo Honours Late Mother with New Album

Award-winning music artist Rethabile Khumalo is preparing to release a deeply meaningful project that pays tribute to her late mother, legendary singer Winnie Khumalo. The upcoming album, titled Kwelizayo, marks her third studio release and is already generating anticipation among fans.

According to The South African, Kwelizayo is set to be a highly personal and emotional body of work. Through this album, Rethabile Khumalo opens up about her journey of grief, healing, and self-discovery following the loss of her mother. The project promises to give listeners an intimate look into her emotional world.

The album is not only emotional but also culturally rich. It embraces South Africa’s diversity by incorporating multiple languages, including isiXhosa, isiZulu, and Sepedi. This allows Khumalo to connect with a wider audience while celebrating the country’s vibrant cultural landscape.

Khumalo shared heartfelt words that reflect both her pain and determination: “I have been quiet for some time, my mother paved the way for me – it’s now my turn to turn a new leaf as I rediscover how to build my own legacy from where she left off. Though she may not be here physically, I want to make uMa proud,” says Khumalo.

Beyond music, Rethabile Khumalo has also been honouring her mother’s legacy in other meaningful ways. In April 2025, Rethabile launched her own mobile kitchen, a dream she once shared with her late mother. Speaking to TshisaLIVE, Rethabile shared how the idea of owning a food truck began during the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time, she and her mother had purchased a food truck with plans to sell burgers, excited to start a new business venture together.

However, just as they were preparing to launch, tragedy struck with the passing of her mother. Determined to keep her mother’s dream alive, Rethabile decided to continue with the vision they had built together. “My mom and I bought a food truck and we wanted to sell burgers. We realised we could handle it on our own and when we were supposed to launch it, my mother passed away. I wanted to carry on with her wishes to open the kitchen because she always believed in my cooking and most of the things I would do,” Rethabile told TshisaLIVE.

While the official release date for Kwelizayo has not yet been announced, the album is already shaping up to be one of her most powerful and meaningful works. 

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A post shared by Rethabile Khumalo (@rethabile_rsa)