Soulful Xitsonga R&B singer Brian Bomba is making a comeback after years away from the music industry with his highly anticipated upcoming album, Ride or Die, which is set to be released on 30 April.
The 34-year-old artist, born Brian Kubayi from Malamulele, is known for his smooth tunes and heartfelt lyrics. Born into a musical family, Brian was influenced by his late mother, Madya ku Bomba, an award-winning Xitsonga traditional musician. He said he used to accompany his mother during her studio recordings.
"In high school, I got inspired by American R&B musicians such as KCI and Boyz 2 Men. Locally, I've always been inspired by great musicians such as Ringo, Oliver Mtukudzi and many others," he said.
For his upcoming 16-track album, Brian worked with well-known producers such as Sumthyn Black. He said the album was designed to cater to live performances and to re-modify the culture of music, with the message centred around love, history, and unity. "This album is more African soul and R&B, which is a complete shift from my previous albums. I aim to reach a wider national and international audience with this new album, while remaining faithful to my roots."
Brian said he was determined to make a lasting impact on the music industry. "Ride or Die is dedicated to the Gaza nation. This is my gift to them for taking so long to give them their music. I do this for our culture and for our African continent as well. I am a storyteller; I can touch people's hearts and hopefully change someone's life," he said.
When asked to explain his long absence from the music world, he replied: "I guess I was just not in the right place to make the kind of music that people knew me for."