Rising star Naledi Aphiwe Myongwane, who was doing matric last year at Khethokuhle Secondary School in Inanda, is among those awaiting their results this week.
Speaking to Sunday World, Naledi shared that while she has no specific expectations, it would be a delight to pass with flying colours. The talented young singer, who had to put her burgeoning music career on hold to focus on her schoolwork during the fourth term, opened up about the challenges of balancing both passions.
“Juggling a music career and school has been a challenge. In the first term, I did not do as well as I should have because I was trying to manage both gigs and my schoolwork. Sometimes, I would have gigs on weekends when I should have been attending extra classes. It was a tough year but I managed to handle both. Now, we wait for the big day,” said Naledi.
After completing her matric, she plans to focus on making more waves in her music but also aspires to study drama.
However, the spotlight is not always kind. Just last week, the 18-year-old singer was swiftly escorted off stage at Mthandeni’s Summer Experience after an angry crowd threw glass bottles and cans at her. The incident occurred when she walked on stage while another maskandi artist, uGatsheni, was still performing. She has since apologised.
“I sometimes feel like people do not expect me to make any mistakes. I feel as though I need to live the life that the public wants me to live, and that is a lot of pressure to carry.”
Being in the public eye at such a young age has taught the Ngiyabonga hitmaker some valuable lessons, particularly about self-respect and the importance of being a positive role model.
“I try to ignore the backlash and negative comments. Having a sister, Nontokozo Mkhize, who is also in the music industry, is comforting,” she said.
In a poignant moment, Naledi recently recorded a tribute song to the late Afro-pop legend Winnie Khumalo, who tragically passed away this week after a short illness.
“My mother passed away when I was young, and I was not yet in the music industry. Winnie Khumalo shares a surname with my late mother, and I felt it was a personal tribute to her. I used this opportunity to express all the emotions I couldn’t when my mother died.”
