A star among the stars

Black holes come from Einstein’s 1915 Theory of General Relativity. Nasa explains them as “among the most mysterious cosmic objects, much studied but not fully understood”. 

“These objects aren’t really holes. They’re huge concentrations of matter packed into very tiny spaces. A black hole is so dense that gravity just beneath its surface, the event horizon, is strong enough that nothing — not even light — can escape.”

That is a mouthful. Dense. Heavy. Almost overwhelming. But it is also poetic in a way science often forgets to admit. A force so powerful it bends time, light and matter. Something unseen, yet deeply felt.

Last week, inside the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome, the idea took on a new meaning.

Jabulani Hadebe, known to the world as Sjava, chose this immersive, celestial space to introduce his latest body of work, iNkanyezi NeZinkanyezi, translated as A Star Amongst the Stars. 

It was not a conventional album listening session. It was an experience. One that asked you not just to hear the music but to feel where it lives in the universe.

The dome came alive with visualisations of stars, planets, galaxies and black holes. Vast cosmic bodies floating endlessly, colliding gently, existing in quiet harmony. 

As the visuals expanded above us, something shifted in the room. 

For a moment, everyone felt suspended. Weightless. Like a star among other stars.

Perhaps that was the point.

Sjava did not immediately claim the centre of the room. Instead, he made his way to the back of the auditorium. It felt deliberate. Almost symbolic. He allowed the audience the chance to experience the music without constantly looking at him, the star of the show, choosing instead to let the moment, the sound and the visuals take the lead.

In that gesture alone, the thesis of the album revealed itself.

Here was an artist comfortable enough in his own gravity to step aside and let others shine.

He seemed lighter than the music many have come to associate him with. As he interacted with everyone in the room, laughing, greeting and moving freely, there was an ease about him. Even the music itself felt lighter this time around. Less burdened. More playful. Still intentional but breathing.

From the opening track Saniboni, featuring Buhlebendalo and Kelvin Momo, the album establishes its sonic warmth. It moves seamlessly into Kuye, where Jesse Clegg’s familiar voice blends unexpectedly but beautifully into Sjava’s world. Then comes Xigugu, a track that proudly carries the popular Limpopo Gaza sound, featuring Ronalda, J John the Big Baby and Gusba Banana.

These are not random collaborations. They are deliberate intersections.

Different sounds. Different languages. Different musical histories. All designed for different kinds of people in South Africa. Yet somehow, they coexist effortlessly. Light, joyful, celebratory. Music that does not demand understanding before enjoyment. Music that simply invites you in.

After the presentation, Sjava shared why the project carries so much meaning for him.

“I will be celebrating 10 years in the industry this year,” he said.

“Through these 10 years I got to meet everyone who is in this room and everyone I have collaborated with in this project. They are all so different and extremely talented. They have been a big part of my life and music journey.”

It was less a statement of achievement and more a reflection of gratitude.

“Everyone was so willing to want to be on this album,” he continued. “Which was so humbling for me.”

In an industry often defined by competition, ego and fleeting relevance, that willingness speaks volumes. It suggests a career built not only on talent but on relationships. On respect.

“So iNkanyezi, for me, means to be embraced by all these stars I have worked with in the album,” he explained, “as well as the 10 years I have been making music.”

The album title begins to unfold itself here. He is not declaring himself the brightest star. He is acknowledging the constellation.

One of the songs that has been quietly but steadily making its rounds since last year is Uyena. Loved widely on social media, the song resonates deeply with listeners. It speaks to surrender. To the understanding that no one can truly tell you how your life will unfold — except the higher power. In many ways, it is a gospel song. Not in structure but in spirit.

What makes Uyena even more powerful is the fact that it was made in 2013. More than a decade ago.

“Music does not spoil,” Sjava said simply. “It lives forever. That is why we are able to have some very old [songs], because we always aim to make quality music.”

There is something reassuring in that belief. In a time when music is often treated as disposable content, designed to trend and vanish, Sjava’s approach feels almost rebellious.

He trusts time. He trusts the listener. He trusts that what is meant to last will find its moment.

When asked whether he had experienced his music presented in this cosmic, astrological way before, he laughed.

“I don’t know much about astrology,” he joked, “but the idea came from my team.”

Still, the experience left an impression.

“I’ve always known stars as just stars,” he said. “But I learnt so much from this project.

Seeing some of the songs translated in that way really hit differently for me.”

That “different” feeling lingered long after the lights dimmed.

Like black holes, some music cannot be fully explained. 

You don’t always see its pull immediately. But once you step close enough, it bends something inside you. Time slows. Memories surface. Emotions gather weight.

iNkanyezi NeZinkanyezi does not try to dominate the sky. It simply takes its place within it. A reminder that brilliance does not exist in isolation. That even the brightest star is shaped by the gravity of others.

And maybe that is the quiet genius of Sjava’s latest offering.

In choosing to be a star among stars, he reminds us that light is meant to be shared.