Azana wants to venture into acting

Azana wants to join a list of singers-turned-actors who didn’t limit their talents to just singing.

The soulful singer-songwriter became a familiar name in the Afro-pop and soul music scene in 2020 when she was featured on the soul-awakening hit Uhuru by Sun-El Musician.

Now just four years into her impressive singing career, the 24-year-old songstress plans to broaden her horizons to the world of acting. 

“I’d like to play a role not too far from who I am. A character perceived as shy but slowly breaks and grows into herself. A character that isn’t afraid to do risky things and push remarkable boundaries,” said the singer. 

“Everyone knows that I can sing. So, my next move is to challenge myself and see if I can truly embody a character that evokes emotion through the screens.

“Just like the way the late Henry Cele did with his most memorable role ever, Shaka Zulu. He had so much presence with that character to the point where we all associate him with the iconic Zulu warrior. To this day, I personally haven’t seen someone who embodies a role the way he did. And that’s what I want to do when I finally get my very first role.” 

Azana, real name Makhosazana Masango, was born and raised in Chesterville, KwaZulu-Natal. She began her music career at the age of 15 and finally got signed to Big City Dreams record label in late 2019 when she was 19. The following year, the bubbly yet shy aspiring singer debuted her studio album Ingoma, which peaked at No 1 on the Apple Music Pop Chart the same year.

“I don’t watch television that much but before it was cancelled, Isibaya used to be my go-to show. The storylines were well-written and impressively carried out by the actors… it truly goes down as one of the best drama series to ever come out of Mzansi,” she said. 

On the music front, Azana recently released a joint six-track EP, Kwa Khanya, that embraces spirituality with music maestro Sam Deep. This joint project sees BoGogo as the lead single. 

“From the beginning of my career, I made it clear that I’m not an artist who sticks to just one genre. I am a multilayered artist who still plans to explore more. I want to try out Afro-tech and Maskandi. In the same breath, I won’t run away from doing Afro-pop and spiritual amapiano, which I am known for,” said the sultry singer. 

“Everything will have its time and I am fully aware of when the time has come for me to tap into something... be it acting or trying out a different genre or niche.”

Besides her keen interest in acting, Azana hopes to grow her footprint as a sought-after vocalist for international DJs who are dominating the global music charts. 

“So far, my career is growing so beautifully. I’ve worked with big names in the industry but I’d really love to work with Black Coffee and Calvin Harris. These two international DJs produce music that is calming and soothing, which suits my voice range.”