UPCLOSE
with
TOYA
DELAZY
SOUTH AFRICAN POP SINGER
What projects you are currently working on?
TOYA: My new single Qhawe, after Funani
dropped on the 28th February - I am
“
Politics is a mess
in general because
of greed and
corruption, until that
is solved there will be
no stability or thriving
economy - but we
have seen the moves
of Kenyan president
Kenyatta who keeps his
guard up when it comes
to the exploitation of
Africans by the western
powers”
continuing with the Afrorave energy I
began with. I have also released a song on
my SoundCcoud channel just to thank my
32 | Colossium . March 2020
fans for all the love and support it’s called
‘Coming Home’.
How did it all start for you? How did you
discover your talent and passion?
TOYA: I started playing piano at the age of
9 - and from then I already knew that I loved
music. When I turned 18 I realized that I
needed to choose a career so I continued
with music and studied Jazz in Ukzn. When
my friends started loving the music I was
making, I felt like I was talented and just kept
going and growing.
What do you think about the state of African
music and the generation leading it?
TOYA: I think we are talented beyond
measure; our only limitation is that the
gatekeepers for alternative African music
are not Africans so we are limited by
internationals from blossoming as we ought
to. To a certain extent we are still colonized.
Have a look around and you will see who