Online Reporter
“After five years away, we realised that the love for playing together never left us, and the music kept calling us back.”
That sentiment captures the spirit behind Freshlyground’s return.
At the end of 2019, the band reached a pause, with Zolani Mahola stepping into her solo path and uncertainty hanging over what would come next.
“It soon became clear that we still loved playing together and we missed it,” the band explained.
They continued to meet, play and reconnect with the sound that had defined their journey. Demand from audiences never faded. “People kept asking when we would be back,” they said. “That told us that the music still mattered.”
From that space came the decision to continue, grounded in respect, trust and a shared commitment to creating new work. The return is shaped by connection rather than nostalgia.
“We are not trying to recreate the past,” the band said. “We are building from it.”
Their process today is rooted in collaboration and honesty. They described the writing sessions as open spaces where ideas move freely.
“Our respect for each other shows in the music,” they explained. “It gives us the freedom to explore without losing who we are.”
The songs now being released reflect this balance, drawing from their history while allowing room for growth and change. A key part of this chapter is the arrival of Mbali Makhoba as the lead vocalist. Her influence has been immediate.
“Mbali walked into the rehearsal room, and we started clicking straight away,” the band recalled. “We were writing from day one.”
They described her voice as bringing something new to the sound, not as a replacement of what came before but as an expansion.
“She brings a fresh energy into everything,” they said. “Her ideas shape the melodies, the lyrics and the direction of the songs.”
Much of the new material has been co-written, with Makhoba leading the storytelling.
“She is fearless in the way that she writes and performs,” they added. “She pushes us to try the sounds that we might not have explored before.”
Through this collaboration, new textures have emerged. “There is more soul coming through now,” the band said.
“You can hear touches of blues, but it still feels like us.” They emphasised that the process is ongoing. “We are still experimenting, and that is the exciting part.”
Freshlyground’s identity has always been tied to a distinct blend of African and contemporary sound. The band spoke openly about the challenge of evolving while remaining true to their roots.
“The balance comes from our chemistry,” they explained.
“We take the songs from our heritage, and we bring in the new ideas, and somewhere in the middle it becomes Freshlyground again.”
They described the current music as more varied than before. “There is more diversity in what we are creating now,” they said.
“You can hear African influences, western influences and rock influences, all living in the same space.” Yet they insist that the core remains unchanged.
“Our love and respect for each other keep us grounded,” they explained. “That is what holds everything together.” – IOL
Mathew Masinge