Award-winning artist and cultural trailblazer Sho Madjozi, real name Maya Christinah Xichavo Wegerif, has sparked a national conversation following her heartfelt appearance on Nandi Madida’s podcast, The Motherhood Network.
In the deeply personal interview, Sho Madjozi opens up about embracing motherhood by choice, making her one of the public figures bringing visibility to the growing community of women choosing to become mothers independently and intentionally.
Sho Madjozi describes herself as a “choice mom”, a woman who becomes a mother not because of marriage, pressure, or circumstance, but purely out of love, readiness, and purpose.
“A choice mom means I chose to be a mom. It wasn’t because I was married or because of a relationship; it was because I truly wanted to become a mother.
“As women, we should be allowed to embrace motherhood on our terms, free from shame or societal expectation,” she said.
Desire to offer emotional safety
Her candour has ignited widespread reaction online, with many women describing her story as affirming, liberating, and overdue in a society that still polices women’s life choices.
Sho Madjozi shared that her decision was influenced by her desire to offer her child stability, softness, and emotional safety, something she says she learned to value deeply through her upbringing, shaped by movement and cultural transition.
“I wanted love that felt safe. I wanted to give my child the kind of grounding I didn’t always have growing up,” she said.
She also stressed the role of community, explaining that, like many African children, her baby is being raised by a circle of loving women and elders.
“I grew up in a village of women. My child is also being raised in a community. I’m not doing this alone; I’m doing it differently.”
While Sho Madjozi has historically been private about her personal life, she says motherhood has grounded her more than it has changed her.
“Motherhood hasn’t slowed me down; it has centred me,” she said, hinting at returning to music soon, but with new clarity, new grounding, and a new voice.
Also Read: SA’s cultural icon and rapper Sho Madjozi welcomes her first child
