Mula, who has been making waves with songs including Botshelo, Visionary, Ku Mapola, Malobolo and her latest offering Matobo, believes her growing musical journey is about more than entertainment. It is about taking Kalanga culture and storytelling to new audiences.Her decision to make music in Kalanga is deeply personal, with music running in her family. Both her parents are Kalanga, while her father, Ralph Mulala, was a musician in the 1990s and founder of the Black Zebras Acapella group, which Mula says was popular in the Kalanga region.Mulala is also behind the popular song Mojenje ke Tsabana, which Mula says is still occasionally played on RB1.“I am from a family of musicians. I am just continuing the legacy where my old man left off,” she said.Several of Mula’s releases are remakes of her father’s songs, allowing her to reinterpret his work through modern production while retaining its cultural essence.At a time when many artists gravitate towards Setswana and English to appeal to mainstream audiences, Mula has instead embraced Kalanga, insisting that the language gives her music its identity.“I don’t see the Kalanga language as a limitation because in music, language is not a barrier. Any sound can speak to you without you understanding the lyrics. It’s my strength and a part of my identity,” she said.Through her music, Mula also hopes to correct what she believes is a gap in the understanding of Kalanga heritage.“People just know the language but don’t really understand our origin and our culture,” she said. “With most of the songs I have recorded, it’s more of storytelling than anything. I am giving people the backstory of the tribe," she added.Her fusion of Kalanga vocals with modern dance sounds is part of her broader ambition to take the culture beyond its traditional audience and onto the international stage.“It’s very important for me to take my music to the world as it will be a dream come true and a fulfilment of what my father started, getting people to know more about the Kalanga tribe,” she said.For Mula, international success would mean collaborating with artists she grew up admiring. The journey has not been without challenges. She says some of the people she works with have at times pushed her to sound like other artists, forcing her to confront the pressure to conform.Instead, the experience has strengthened her resolve to remain authentic. “It has influenced me to be more confident, courageous and true to myself without feeling like I am too much,” she said.Beyond music, Mula would like her journey to inspire young people to believe in their dreams and encourage parents to recognise the influence they have on their children.“Before having a role model that I saw on TV, I had one at home which is my father,” she said.As she takes Kalanga into Amapiano, Afro-tech and 3-step, Mula hopes to leave behind a legacy of cultural pride and self-belief, inspiring people to discover their purpose, unlock their potential and use their gifts to make an impact on the world.
