Singer, songwriter and poet, Lady X, real name Xolisa Mvula, has had to ditch the alluring dresses for a doek, amabhayi and ancestral cloths. Lady X has undergone a rebirth as a sangoma. She tells ZiMoja that she felt it coming when she released her latest album titled Rebirth in 2022 and she was ready.

ACCEPTANCE

This past weekend she officially accepted her calling during a private ceremony at her home in Gqeberha. "This weekend was the acceptance of my calling with family, my mentor, and close friends. It was a beautiful weekend and I was blessed to have had abanye oGogo present to usher in my journey and help me transition," she says. Without going into detail about the nature of her calling, Lady X says time will soon tell. "I have different gifts but it is too soon to reveal exactly what the gifts are." Lady X has known about her gift for many years but she was waiting for the right time. "I have known for a very long time. My mother even sat me down last year to tell me that my gift would be coming to me soon," she says. "She knew when I was in her womb that I was going to be a "umtana wabantu abadala". She comes from a spiritually gifted family. My mother could not accept her gift because her mother kept avoiding it and using the church as a shield and a mechanism of reflection," she says. "She tried to seek guidance from the elderly for years, but it didn't work out. Her gifts and calling have now been inherited by me, inclusive of my own by birthright. I carry that honour in her name and the name of my ancestors."

CHANGES

Lady X says many people with a calling sometimes wait until their lives fall apart before they accept their gift. "Most sangomas sometimes wait until we lose a lot and see the things we work, strive, and dream about fail in front of our eyes and only then do we realise the importance of accepting our calling," she says. "But in my case, it didn't feel like a drastic step, but it felt like a leap of faith because I knew it was my destiny," she adds. "I knew it was my time and I welcomed the moment with open arms and an open heart. I love my ancestors and I willingly stepped into this journey with all my trust and faith in the journey they have in store for me."

STILL MAKING MUSIC

She says, not much has changed in her life, as this is only the beginning. "I have not completed my initiation yet and it is too soon to tell, all I can say is it is interesting to view things using your spiritual eye," she says, adding that, " I am at peace and I walk with surety, grace, and joy now knowing that everything will be okay, knowing that I am safe, blessed, and protected." Lady X says her spiritual gift will not affect her career as a singer. "Abadala have planned this journey way before I was born but now, I'm blessed because I feel a sense of calm with regards to my music career because I am guided by my ancestors," she says. "My melodies and lyrics now come to me in my dreams and in the most beautiful and serene moments that leave me smiling, filled with joy, peace and overwhelming happiness." Her first single, after accepting her calling, will be rooted in her Afro Soul roots. " I have already written and recorded it before my ceremony and it has been blessed by my ancestors," she says.