Tsholofelo releases sophomore new album after three-year recording process

The project signals a departure from the band-oriented jazz influences of her 2022 debut album Becoming, instead focusing on minimal arrangements centred on voice and acoustic guitar. The album was developed in collaboration with producer Thando Kunene (Th&o), with recording taking place between Tsholofelo’s home studio setup and Kunene’s studio in Johannesburg.

According to Tsholofelo, the album draws on a range of influences while maintaining a consistent sonic core. “Burning Bush is a sonic experience that draws from many different genres,” she said. “It’s alternative soul and acoustic warmth, layered with ethereal pop synths. At the centre of every song is the guitar and the voice.”

The writing process unfolded gradually, with weekly studio sessions over several years. Songs typically began in isolation before being developed collaboratively in the studio environment.

“The songs usually began with just me and my guitar in my bedroom,” she said. “Then we’d spend hours in studio, completely locked in. It became a space where nothing else mattered except the music.”

Much of the material on Burning Bush was shaped during a period of personal reflection following her 2022 single “Past Two Years”, which addressed the emotional impact of the pandemic era. Tsholofelo described the process as closely tied to personal recovery and self-examination.

“Making the music was the beginning of my healing and my rediscovery,” she said. “I was processing a lot about myself and my life, and this body of work came from that space.”

She added that some of the material proved difficult to perform during the recording process. “Some songs were harder to sit with than others,” she said. “There were times I couldn’t even perform ‘Burning Bush’ without breaking down. Those songs were holding and healing me in real time.”

One of the tracks, “The Art of Deception”, features a cross-border collaboration that came together during the later stages of production. Tsholofelo described the process as unexpected but well-timed.

“It all came together in the most serendipitous and, honestly, divine way,” she said. “It felt like confirmation that we were exactly where we were meant to be.”

Tsholofelo said the finished album reflects a clearer sense of artistic identity. “This album finally sounds like me,” she said. “It’s more vulnerable, more exposed, but also more honest.”

Burning Bush concludes a phase of development that places emphasis on restraint and emotional clarity rather than layered production or scale. An accompanying album tour is scheduled for August 2026.

Contributors: Nkululeko Njapa, Sisi Nkabinde, Muvhango Ndou, Hlomisa Nqayana and Satiate Chauke