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Simba Jemwa, Showbiz Reporter

FROM the time she was nine and singing to her mother in their living room, belting out tunes by Johnny Orlando, Ava Max or Willow Smith, Zyla Storm (15) seemed destined to perform.

This is the Lionsgate Private School scholar, (real name Zinhle Ndlovu) second offering after her debut single, SOS which was well received.

Zyla Storm is working on her debut album which will drop at the end of the year.

It is yet another checkpoint in a musical journey that started in earnest two years ago and culminated with her opening for established South African Ami Faku in Bulawayo and singing in front of a large audience for the first time.

Ami Faku

The teen was surrounded by a music-loving family that supported her talents, which were often on display growing up. Now the rest of the world will get to see what others have watched and heard over the years when her second single Nocturnal is released today.

The single will be dropped on several platforms including YouTube Music, Tidal, Spotify, Boomplay, Audiomack, Deezer, iTunes, Joox and Amazon Music

“It feels so weird,” she said.

“I’m super nervous. You never know what people are going to say and in today’s society, people are really judgmental, especially at my age. I just think it’s a genuine song, and I really think people are going to enjoy it.” 

Zyla Storm described the song she wrote herself, as relatable to everyone.

“I don’t think it’s too much. I think it’s a very ‘everybody’ song. This is a song about how love can make you ‘Nocturnal’ if you have trust issues. I wanted to bring in a little creepy vibe but not really creepy, to a song that everyone can relate to. A lot of us have felt this before, maybe not with our love interests but with our crushes. I just wanted to write a song based on that,” said Zyla Storm.

She said it was fun to write the song.

Youtube

“I don’t just write songs but write stories so basically the main idea for Nocturnal is a story, I like the idea of getting people to relate to it. Also, the nocturnal sounds in the music. It’s for people to see themselves as the main character of some sort. Nocturnal was fun to write because it helped me find a whole new side of myself. It tells the story of love can be two-sided and can turn you into a ‘nocturnal’,” Zyla storm told this publication.

While the process is at times tedious, she feels comfortable surrounded by people who share the same goals and interests.

“It was a lot different than I expected,” she said.

music

“Standing in the studio singing the same song for hours over and over is stressful, but it was super cool, and cool people, and a really good environment. My producer, Cornelius (Maponga) understands me and we have a great working relationship.” – @RealSimbaJemwa