Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena, [email protected]
South Africa-based Zimbabwean Afro-Jazz singer and songwriter Berita has revealed that her stage name was inspired by her mother, whom she wanted to honour when she started her music career.
Born Gugulethu Khumalo, the musician adopted her mother’s real name, Berita, as her stage name.
She said the decision was a personal one and allowed her to honour her mother while creating an identity through which she could express herself as an artiste.
“Berita is the name that I stole from my mother whose real name is Berita. And, when I started my music career, I really wanted to honour her. I wanted to honour her spirit while she’s still alive,” she said.
Berita said mothers play an important role in their daughters’ lives and her own mother has been a major influence in her life.
“I feel like mothers are such a central part of a daughter’s life and she has been a central part of my life and by taking her name to be my on stage name, it allowed me to have another platform to express who I am,” she said.
The singer also explained the meaning behind the name, saying Berita means “truthful”. She added that she believed the name also meant “fire goddess” in Latin.
Meanwhile, this year, Berita has continued to work on new music and performances as she enters another chapter of her career.
She released her single title “Namhlanje” in March. She described the song as a reflection of her growth and the woman she has become.
The release came ahead of her Echoes of the Soul concert at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg in May.
The concert celebrated more than a decade of her musical journey and showcased her Afro-soul sound.
Berita is also embarking on a national tour in South Africa, where she hopes to further cement herself as a household name in the Afro-Jazz scene.
