BONJ Is Shuttling Between Two Lives

A decade ago, BONJ was on the cusp of something exciting with her band, The City, a four-piece unit making great strides within the live music scene in Cape Town and, increasingly, across South Africa. But life as an artist in a relatively small city can be taxing and unpredictable — more so than in major centres of commerce and industry. Her then-partner and producer, Clem Carr, had been getting an increasing amount of work in Johannesburg, so that became the next phase. It meant the band had to take a back seat, and it was also the first time in many years that she returned home after making Cape Town her base and establishing a solid network there.

Nowadays, BONJ spends her days across different aspects of production, from overseeing logistics at live shows to managing and road-managing artists in the jazz and hip-hop space — artists like Stogie T, with whom she also tours and records, and Kyle Shepherd, who is arguably among the country’s top pianists and composers. This, she tells OkayAfrica over a virtual call in early March, just as the summer heat gives way to autumn, has been “a humbling teaching experience” for her.

“I’m learning a lot about myself. I’m also just trying to make money and use my skills outside of being a singer-songwriter and performing artist,” she admits.

She is growing, and in the process, being pleasantly surprised by the versions of herself she’s discovering, something that wasn’t possible a decade ago.

“I wish it could’ve happened sooner, and I think what that is, is that I’m growing into myself as an artist, and I guess as a businesswoman. I’m not only thinking, oh, I’m this amazing singer who writes music and is a great performer. I’m trying to expand that, like, who is BONJ outside of being on stage? There’s clearly more to it; there are so many layers,” she says.

The dormant parts of herself were activated by a great deal of personal turmoil, as well as an unquenchable desire to be more. By 2019, following the move to Johannesburg, she had already written music for other artists — most notably Anatii’s “Ndaweni”— and her collaboration with DJ Zinhle, “Against the Grain,” was gaining traction in dance music circles.

Learning from Powerhouses

But she’s in her element now. “It’s exciting. It’s also scary. I think what I’m also working through right now is just that balance: I have this other side of me that loves the production and admin side of music, and, I guess, the artist development side as well. And then there’s also me, as a solo artist who is still wanting to pursue music, release it, and tour. That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out: how do I make time to write new music, to get back into the studio, but also to source shows and continue on my journey as a solo artist,” she says.

“It’s been interesting. It’s been scary, but also very exciting. I love the place that I’m at right now.”

She does admit that she worried about how quiet she’s been, referring to her last body of work, A Journal, in 2021. In the interim, she’s appeared on two of Stogie T's bodies of work and toured the world with him. “I’m in a better place now, where I’m like, actually, there’s no rush. I’ve had nothing to say up until now,” she says.

This level of vulnerability — admitting that she doesn’t know everything — is what makes her work an interesting case study in surrendering to the process while allowing more experienced figures to play a mentorship role in her life.

“I’m out here as a businesswoman trying to carve my own path without any influences from anybody. I’m literally just following my heart, trusting myself. I’m learning to trust myself a bit more.”

A decade ago, BONJ had not yet realised the power of her voice. “I didn’t have full confidence in my abilities as a performing artist. The band was DIY, so I remember learning on the go that sometimes promoters aren’t going to reach out to us. We’re going to have to do the work, we’re going to have to go out, network, meet journalists and funders. We’re going to have to work our asses off to be more visible to people who can help us on the journey,” she reflects. “The one thing I love about BONJ then was that she was super open. She was like, I’m going to try anything and do anything and work with everyone that I admire, that I’m inspired by. But she still had fear.”

Today, she stands as a woman without fear — someone who knows herself, is fully aware of her power, and continues to deepen her understanding of who she is.

“I have to give all the credit to The City days, us running the band as a DIY project: promoting, marketing, recording, and sourcing funding to be able to tour. I also met amazing people along the way, like Rhoda Isaacs, who was part of a team called Making Music Productions. Just watching her, her passion for pouring back into artists and creating an ecosystem for a live scene that helps artists thrive, make money, and enjoy what they’re doing.

I also think about how much I needed Jackie Queens — what a beast, what a powerhouse of a woman. She’s running her own label, managing artists, and is a singer-songwriter herself. Watching someone like her, and having her influence me, made me believe in this other side of myself, the part that’s very good at admin and can see the bigger picture beyond being on stage. I’ve been picking up so much from her,” she concludes.