Sjava Reflects On Emotional Studio Encounter That Birthed “Home” With Lwah Ndlunkulu. Award-winning musician Sjava recently opened up about a heartfelt moment that led to the creation of the deeply moving track “Home” by superstar Lwah Ndlunkulu, on which he features.
In a nostalgic post, Sjava shared how he first crossed paths with Lwah through a phone call from fellow artist Big Zulu. At the time, a studio camp was underway in Bergville, KwaZulu-Natal. Big Zulu had urged Sjava to come meet a young talent who specifically wanted to collaborate with him. That talent turned out to be Lwah Ndlunkulu.
“I remember getting a call from @BigZulu_ZN saying ‘kunengane yakho la estudio cela uzoyibona ithi ifuna wena,’” Sjava recalled. He then made the journey to Bergville, unaware of the profound moment that awaited him. Upon arrival, Big Zulu introduced him to Lwah and described her simply as, “lo Mkhaya uLwah.”
It was during that first encounter that the song “Home” was recorded—a track that would come to represent the emotional toll and resilience of those who leave their hometowns in pursuit of a better life.
Sjava was deeply moved by Lwah’s personal story of leaving her home and heading to Johannesburg to chase her dream of making it in music. That story inspired the verse Sjava would go on to record for the track, which has since resonated with many who share a similar journey.
“This verse ended up becoming a voice for a lot of people who left home beyozama,” he wrote. Produced by Celza, affectionately referred to as “inja kaGogo,” with backing vocals by Siya Ntuli, the song is not only a sonic masterpiece but a testament to collaboration rooted in authenticity and shared experience. Sjava expressed his gratitude to the team for allowing him to contribute to what he called “Lwah Ndlunkulu’s journey.”
Released under the banner of Nkabi Records, “Home” stands as a poignant tribute to sacrifice, dreams, and the unwavering spirit of those chasing purpose far from the comfort of home.
“@lwahndlunkulu Ngiyabonga,” Sjava ended his post, a simple yet powerful acknowledgement of the Nkabi Records star and the story that brought them together.