Noko Mashile
After years of being away from the public eye, Afro soul singer Xolisa Mvula, formerly known as Lady X, has re-emerged with a personal account of transformation, embracing a spiritual calling as Mhlekazi uNondaba, also known as Gogo uNgeleni.
Best known for her hit iGugu Lami, Mvula disappeared at the height of her career, leaving fans questioning her silence. She says she was navigating a spiritual calling while battling severe emotional distress. She recalls feeling lost, isolated and losing friendships, and suffering from depression. She voluntarily admitted herself into a mental health facility on two occasions after fearing for her life and not understanding what was happening, only knowing she needed help but not where to find it.
Her withdrawal from music coincided with her return to the Eastern Cape, where she began ukuthwasa while caring for her mother, who had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. During this time her health deteriorated, leading her to consult traditional healers. After seeing an iNyanga she was referred to Mkhulu Nyokamanzi in Germiston, where she says it became clear her ancestors were calling her through intsimbi ebomvu.
A defining moment came during the ukuFemba ceremony, where ancestral messages were communicated through her spiritual guide. She says this marked the beginning of her direction. Following the ceremony she was initiated and left her former life to live under the guidance of Baba uMahambaYedwa.
She says she had always felt ancestral presence but did not understand it. She describes intwaso as a sacred homecoming that restored her identity and gave her responsibility to heal and serve her community. Her journey spans isiXhosa, uMnguni, uMdau and noMtsonga lineages, each with distinct spiritual requirements.
She says language barriers and shifting identities were among the great challenges as a Xhosa woman from Gqeberha learning to embody multiple spiritual cultures. She rejects the idea that ukuthwasa is a trend, calling it a disciplined sacred calling.
The experience reshaped her relationship with music, forcing reflection on message and legacy, and at one point caused a creative block. She says she is still reconciling music and spirituality, but feels guided and at peace with her ancestors.
She now embraces spiritual identities as sangoma iNyanga and healer. Her message is resilience, urging pride in heritage and the belief that people can rise above circumstances.