SA producer Vumaala speaks to Between 10and5 about his journey from behind the scenes to releasing his debut single.
South African-born, LA-based producer Vumaala has spent years shaping the sound of other artists across the globe. With the release of his debut single, ‘Show Me’, he steps forward as an artist in his own right.
In an exclusive interview with Between 10and5, Vumaala speaks about moving from behind the scenes to releasing music under his own name, navigating distance from home, and following instinct over expectation.
Between 10and5: You’ve spent years shaping other artists’ sounds. What shifted internally for you when you decided to step forward as Vumaala and release your own work?
Vumaala: I’ve spent years building worlds for other artists, but eventually there was this sonic palette that I wanted to explore that was super weird. It’s a mixture of South African dance genres, film music, and gospel. It’s a somewhat strange combination, and I realised that nobody would take a risk on putting it out, so if I wanted the music to live out in the world, I would have to do it myself.
Between 10and5: ‘Show Me’ feels deeply personal and reflective. How did being away from home influence the emotional direction of the song?
Vumaala: It was deeply influenced by the feeling of despair, to be honest. Things were really tough. It felt like my world was crumbling around me and I was so far from home. That sparked a feeling of helplessness, in some ways, in my family because they could only listen to me cry on the phone. There was no further help they could afford me. The song came from that place of pleading, hoping that there’s more to life than what I was seeing, asking the universe to show me something on the other side of the valley.
Between 10and5: As a producer, you’re often behind the scenes. What did creating music under your own name reveal about you as an artist?
Vumaala: It’s way more fun being the boss of the song. When I make music for myself, I just follow my curiosities and write songs that feel good to me. I don’t filter them through any of the functional lenses that I do when producing for other artists. Creating music for me is like finger painting. It’s messy, childish, and deeply liberating.
Between 10and5: You’ve lived and worked between South Africa and the US. How do those different environments inform your sound and creative outlook?
Vumaala: Living in LA really exposed me to the African-American gospel scene in a way that I would not have had access to here in South Africa. I’m part of a community that does monthly musical pop-ups, and I learned so much from them. That’s where I met Re Alissa, who’s a Chicago native living in LA. Living most of my life in South Africa informs the rhythm. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no country on the planet that does dance music like South Africa does. It’s fully ingrained in the fabric of this country in a way I’ve not seen elsewhere.
Between 10and5: This release comes after significant industry recognition. Why does this moment feel like the right time to step into the spotlight?
Vumaala: There’s never a right time. I truly believe you just have to act, then maybe God opens up a few doors, or He closes a few doors. I can’t take credit for the timing of this. I just put up a video of a song I liked with my best friend and then followed the energy. That’s what I’ll continue to do, follow the energy.
* ‘Show Me’ is out now and available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.
