Yoav and Jabulile Majola’s serendipitous musical collaboration defies expectations, bridging worlds and uniting their shared journey of discovery, vulnerability, and healing.
Yoav, widely known for his Indie Folk sound, was raised in a home versed in Classical music and Opera. Rebelling against his formal musical upbringing, Yoav picked up the guitar in secret, developing a unique style of electronica-esque writing that has captured audiences worldwide. Jabulile, on the other hand, is fresh to the scene. Raised in a Children’s Home by a Christian couple in Greytown, Kwazulu Natal, he discovered a passion for music, utilising it to share stories via the Church.
Their paths crossed through a mutual friend, leading them to embark on a writing session. Within a day, the duo had recorded the initial idea for “Stranger” and after the positive responses they received from friends, they agreed to keep collaborating until eventually the album UNYAZI emerged. ‘Nyoni Yami’ (My Bird) is a Zulu-Folk song taken off of Jabulile Majola & Yoav’s collaborative album UNYAZI due in 2024.
Nyoni Yami is written as a modern day parable. The song narrates the story of a Blue Swallow, orphaned and rejected by the world around it. The bird navigates life’s challenges and confronts forces attempting to crush its spirit and destroy its soul. As the bird learns to adapt, surviving the turbulence of the world, it discovers the power of its song. Through its song, the swallow chooses to give its light, its beauty and its healing to the very world that has tried so hard to destroy it.
About the Upcoming Album:
Their upcoming album, UNYAZI (which refers to the moment of brief luminescence that fills the sky after a flash of lightning) is an invitation to delve into the intimate and transformative world that Yoav and Jabulile have crafted together. The album represents a tapestry of emotions, shaped by the personal bereavement each experienced during the recording process, while also speaking more generally to the collective grief we’ve all experienced over the last few years.
As Yoav explains, “throughout the process of writing this record, it felt like we were going through a collective grief. Our intention was to create something healing and nourishing, and in the process, we experienced healing ourselves.” UNYAZI becomes a vessel through which their emotional journey and creative bond is transmitted to listeners, offering solace, comfort, and a sense of shared humanity. Through their shared journey as strangers turned collaborators, they have created something truly extraordinary. As they embark on this new chapter together, they invite you to join them.
The album is due for release in the South African winter of 2024.
Listen to ‘Nyoni Yam’ HERE
Connect with Jabulile Majola and Yoav
Website: https://unyazi.co/
Instagram: @unyazimusic
Instagram: @Yoavmusic
Instagram: @uJabulilemajola
Press release courtesy of Sheila Afari PR
