Nondumiso Maseko Opens Up About Faith, Loss and Her New Gospel Music Journey

Gospel artist Nondumiso Maseko is entering an important new chapter in her music career, carrying with her a story shaped by faith, family, loss and a strong sense of purpose. Raised in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, Maseko grew up in a home where faith and music were part of everyday life. Her early experiences taught her to view singing as more than entertainment, instead understanding it as a form of ministry and service. After winning Gospel Superstars Season 1, she has continued to build her career and has now signed with Gallo Record Company, one of South Africa’s most established music institutions. As she introduces her debut single, “Kungo Thando,” Maseko is using her music to share a message of God’s love, grace, healing and hope.

01. You grew up in a home surrounded by faith and music. How did your upbringing shape the artist and person you have become today?

“My home was my first church and my first stage. Faith wasn’t just something we talked about on Sundays, it was how we lived, how we prayed, how we sang through hard times. My mother was rooted in Christ. That upbringing taught me that singing is not about performance, it’s about ministry. It keeps me grounded.”

02. You have described the moment you sang your first solo as a teenager as a powerful spiritual experience. What do you remember most about that moment, and how did it influence your decision to pursue gospel music?

“I remember being so nervous, but the moment I opened my mouth, the fear disappeared. I felt a peace that I can’t explain. It wasn’t about my voice being perfect, it was about feeling God use me to touch someone. After that day I knew: this is what I was created to do. It stopped being just a hobby and became a calling.”

03. What does gospel music mean to you personally, beyond simply being a genre of music?

“Gospel music is life to me. It’s how I pray when I don’t have words. It’s how I heal, how I worship, how I encourage others. For me, it’s not a genre, it’s a ministry.”

04. Winning Gospel Superstars Season 1 was a major milestone in your career. What was going through your mind when you were announced as the winner?

“Complete shock. I thought my heart would stop. My first thought was ‘Thank you, Jesus’ and my second was ‘Help me carry this well.’ It felt less like a personal victory and more like God saying, ‘I see your faithfulness, now let’s take this further.’”

05. How did your experience on Gospel Superstars prepare you for the professional music industry and the opportunities that followed?

“The show stretched me. It taught me discipline, excellence, and how to stay true to myself under pressure. Every week was a masterclass, vocally, spiritually, emotionally. It prepared me to be not just a singer, but an artist who understands the responsibility of the platform.”

06. You have now signed with Gallo Record Company. What does joining such an established South African music institution mean to you at this stage of your career?

“It’s an incredible honour, I am very humbled. Gallo is a legacy. To join a family that has shaped South African music history is humbling. For a girl from Newcastle, this is a dream I didn’t even have words for. It means my music now has a home where it can grow and reach people across the country and beyond.”

07. Your debut single is titled “Kungo Thando.” What inspired the song, and what message do you hope listeners take away from it?

“‘Kungo Thando’ means ‘It’s through love.’ It was inspired by John 3:16 and 2 Corinthians 12:9, the reminder that everything we have, salvation, grace, healing, is because of God’s love. Especially after losing my mother in 2023, His love is what carried me. I want listeners to know: you are seen, you are loved, and His grace is sufficient, in any situation you go through.”

08. As an artist from Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal, how has your hometown and cultural background influenced your sound, identity and approach to gospel music?

“Newcastle made me. My sound is rooted in our church harmonies, our language, our stories. Being from KZN taught me resilience and humility. I carry that with me everywhere. I want my music to be modern, but still rooted, a sound that a young girl in Newcastle can hear and say, ‘If she can, I can too.’”

09. Gospel music often carries deeply personal stories of faith, hope and overcoming challenges. What personal experiences have influenced the music you are creating today?

“Losing my mother was the hardest season of my life. But even in that grief, God never left me. My music today comes from that place, real life, real tears, real faith. I don’t just sing about victory, I sing about walking through the valley and still finding hope. That’s the testimony I want to share.”

10. As you begin this new chapter with Gallo and introduce your music to a wider audience, what are your hopes and dreams for Nondumiso Maseko’s career?

“My dream is simple: that through my music, someone finds healing, finds Jesus, finds hope again. I want to create music that ministers, that lasts, and that glorifies God. With Gallo, I hope to grow into a gospel artist who represents South Africa with excellence and who stays faithful to the calling.”

Maseko’s ambitions ultimately return to the same purpose that has guided her since she first discovered her calling as a teenager. Her goal is to create music that reaches people emotionally and spiritually rather than simply pursuing recognition. She wants her songs to offer healing and hope while directing listeners towards her Christian faith. Her partnership with Gallo provides a new platform for that vision and could help introduce her music to audiences across South Africa and beyond. As she develops her career, remaining faithful to her calling appears to be just as important to her as achieving professional success.

Nondumiso Maseko’s story is one of faith, perseverance and purpose, with each stage of her journey contributing to the artist she is becoming. From growing up in a faith-filled home in Newcastle to experiencing the defining moment of her first solo, winning Gospel Superstars Season 1 and signing with Gallo Record Company, her career has been shaped by both opportunity and personal experience. Her debut single, “Kungo Thando,” brings those experiences together through a message centred on God’s love, grace and strength. Her openness about losing her mother also gives her music a deeply personal foundation, allowing her to speak about grief and hope from lived experience. As Maseko begins this new chapter, her greatest ambition remains clear: to use her voice as a ministry, create music that lasts and give listeners a reason to find faith and hope again.