SHOWBIZ ROYALTY: NIRVANA NOKWE

24-year-old Nirvana Nokwe Mseleku is a trained singer, songwriter, producer, filmmaker and actress. She has music running through her veins, which she inherited from her father, the renowned Jazz musician Bheki Mseleku, and her legendary musician mother Tu Nokwe.

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Nirvana’s childhood has been far from ordinary. Her family is filled with entertainment industry greats that have shaped and groomed her into a multi-faceted artist. Nirvana’s creativity and work are influenced by her extensive travelling overseas, her family who gave her pearls of wisdom of the industry and priceless interactions with Mzansi’s icons. Her entire family is rooted in the arts, making it possible for Nirvana to participate in the entertainment industry at just 4 years old, and now she’s a fully bloomed artist ready to take on the world.

Throughout her career, Nirvana has committed to telling stories in an unconventional way, by bringing euphoria and magic to her audience.

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WHERE DID YOU GROW UP AND WHAT WAS IT LIKE?
I come from a musical, philosophical and political family. Both my parents are musicians, and my mom is an actress as well. Everyone in my family is either involved in film, music or politics. My maternal grandparents Alfred and Patty Nokwe moulded and sharpened the artist in me. We grew up in a school called Amajika Youth and Children’s Arts, which was founded by my grandparents and mom. We were mentored extensively on industry life, how to explore our minds and other cultures and how to be creatives without limits. We did a lot of travelling and cultural exchange work. We were also taught performance techniques in singing, acting and stage production. Having had the privilege to come from such a family has given me a lot of experience around the world – in performing as well.



WHEN DID YOU START SINGING?
I started singing professionally when I was just 4 years old with the likes of Mam Busi Mhlongo, and Bra Hugh Masekela and that was by my aunt Mam Marylyn Nokwe who was a part of Mango Groove at the time. My aunt Marylyn was also a vocal producer so she would always put me on soundtracks and singles for advertisements. She has always believed in my voice and guided me musically. Coming from a family such as mine has put a lot of pressure on me to validate my greatness beyond what they have done for me.



WHAT KIND OF ARTIST WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS?
I would describe my work as ethereal, I’m not so much into specifications of genres, because that can be quite limiting. I think people in record labels often misplace musicians by placing them into certain genres that they don’t necessarily belong to. That can cause musicians to lose their identity and fall into the trap of being misunderstood and not flourish as much as they could. My music is more about being cosmic and otherworldly. When the question is asked about what my target market is, for me, it’s not so much about who or what the target market is but more about touching people’s lives in a way that’s never been done before. I want to awaken the magic inside of people through my music.



YOU’RE A SINGER, SONGWRITER, PRODUCER, FILMMAKER AND NOW ACTRESS. WHAT BEST DESCRIBES WHO YOU ARE?
I think filmmaking is the true love of my life because it encompasses the whole audio and visual experience. So, a huge part of my brand is giving people an experience, whether it be visually or sonically.



WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?
I think there is a lack of community in our industry. Having a solid, safe and dependable community is so important because when people are unified in working together, and engage on an authentic level, it produces a different outcome. I’ve struggled a lot with finding a community that accepts who I am. I also produce my own music, so when I get someone else to listen to my work, they often doubt that I can produce, and in most cases undermine my work.

WHO HAVE YOU COLLABORATED WITH?
I’ve collaborated with KidX and Okmalumkoolkat on their upcoming albums. I found that these two people have understood me and respected my artistry.



PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLE AS MBALI IN REYKE.
I play the role of Mbali who is the niece of Chief Msomi played by Kenneth Nkosi. She is murdered in the first episode and this causes uproar in the community because she is royalty. It was difficult playing that character because I had no idea what I was getting into psychologically. My mom taught me that there are no small roles, and one has to be authentic and pay homage to the role you play no matter how small. We have to be humble to be able to understand the story, be of service to it and have empathy. I’m very proud to have been part of such an amazing production team, working with people with strong skills, and a diverse cast, I’ve truly learned so much.

Related article: Acting 101 with Nokuthula Ledwaba

WHAT CAN YOU SHARE THAT YOU’VE LEARNED FROM OTHER ACTORS ON REYKE?
I had a conversation with veteran actress Mam Nandi Nyebe just before I had a scene and I asked her what it takes for her to bring magic in front of the camera. She kept the answer very simple. She told me that you need to focus, detach and switch off your phone. Looking at your phone between takes causes you to step in and out of character. She said acting is like Ubungoma. You take on the spirit of an entity, the character is here to relay a message and it’s your responsibility to do it justice and give it respect. So having your phone around and distracting yourself will not give an authentic and fully-immersed performance.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SONG OF ALL TIME AND WHY?
‘Agolo’ by Angelique Kidjo because my mom would sing it to me as a baby. I also love ‘Orinoco Flow’ by Enya.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN AND LEISURE?
I love Thai massages and spending time at the beach. Those are my top two and then horse riding would follow. But if I’m with my cousins, siythandela ukugida – we love dancing!

IF YOU HAD A LAST MEAL, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
A chocolate oreo mcflurry from McDonald’s and prawn cocktail chips from Woolworths.

WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE IN THE WORLD?
Turkey is my favourite place in the world. I love their food, their warmth and their appreciation for the arts and humanities. It’s a place that makes me feel safe.

WHAT OTHER PASSIONS DO YOU HAVE BESIDES MUSIC AND FILM?
I’m passionate about holistic healing and neuroscience. I feel that they have a lot to contribute to the wellness and structure of South Africa.

WHAT ARE A FEW THINGS ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?

• Buy an apartment in SoHo, New York.
• Get cast as a lead in a Marvel movie.
• Work with Robert Downey Jr. or at least have coffee with him.
• I think I look like I could be Johnny Depp’s daughter, so I’d love to be on a Pirates of the Caribbean sequel.
• Learn Taekwondo (Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan were big childhood influences).
• I’d love to institutionalise holistic healing in South African governing systems.