Aubrey Qwana (Born April 2, 1993) is a South African singer, rapper, songwriter, producer who gained public attention in 2018 following the release of his song Ngaqonywa.
You may be wondering why Aubrey Qwana’s songs are always full of true-life stories and have very personal lyrics. This is mainly because he has gone through a lot and finds music as a way of expressing himself. Aubrey Qwana has not been famous for a long time but his hit single Molo is already like a national anthem among South Africans. So far, Qwana has worked with well-known hip-hop artists in the industry including Emtee, Sho Madjozi, Major League, among others.
Just like other new entrants who have not been in the industry for a long time, not much is available in the public space about the Molo hitmaker, Aubrey Qwana; and the fact that he keeps his private life away from the media makes it even more difficult to gain access to any verifiable information about him. However, there are a couple of interesting things to know about the singer.
Summary of Aubrey Qwana’s Biograpgy
- Full name: Aubrey Qwana
- Gender: Male
- Date of birth: April 2, 1993
- Place of birth: Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal
- Home town: Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal
- Aubrey Qwana’s Age: 31 years old
- Ethnicity: African
- Nationality: South African
- Zodiac Sign: Aries
- Marital Status: Unmarried
- Occupation: Singer, rapper, songwriter, producer
- Famous for: His successful music career
- Twitter: @aubreyqwana
His Interest In Music Stems From His Background And Upbringing
The 31-year-old South African singer and rapper was born on April 2, 1993, at his hometown in Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal. At the age of 12, he lost his mother, and with that unfortunate loss, one can tell already that he didn’t have a very smooth childhood and has gone through a lot. His song, eHostela was written in memory of his late mother.
Before the death of his mother, he was used to visiting her in Johannesburg and they usually played mbaqanga and maskandi music in the area. Listening to that kind of music greatly influenced his career and style of music. According to him, if it was not for those visits to his mother in Jo’burg, he probably won’t be doing music now.
Aside from influencing his style of music, staying in the hostel (with his mother) also thought him humility. Watching the way people from different families could live together in the same apartment in harmony also caught his attention. Although nothing much is known about his father, it is understood that his parents were pastors in a church denomination that believed in both tradition and God. Although their belief system was quite different, Aubrey is not ashamed of it. His songs Umbhulelo and Umendo were inspired by sound from his church background. Nothing much is known about the number of siblings he has and who they are – if they exist.
The rapper spent his childhood in Johannesburg, Ulundi, and Ladysmith. The exact schools he attended for his basic education are not known, however, he received a graphic and fashion designer diploma at a college in Durban. Hopefully, with time and as he stays longer in the music industry, and grants more interviews, other details about his biography, upbringing, and other family members will be revealed to the public, but for now, we can only say the much we know.
Aubrey Qwana Was Involved In An Accident Just As His Career Was About To Kick-Off
Just before the start of his music career, Aubrey Qwana was involved in a serious accident that almost took his life, and he was not in the vehicle alone. He was with his manager, Celimpili Manyarhi who was driving them from Denver in his Mercedes Benz C-class worth R700,000.
The accident was so disastrous that nothing could be salvaged from the vehicle as everything got burnt, but thankfully, neither he nor his manager got injured. They were all able to escape death narrowly. They were fortunate to get out and away from the vehicle before it burst into flames. Aubrey Qwana saw the whole accident as an event that was perpetuated by witchcraft and the accident was never reported to the police. Unfortunately, the vehicle did not have any insurance despite its worth.
Aubrey Qwana Made His First Public Impression In 2018
You may have known about Aubrey Qwana in 2018, but he started off as a rapper in 2008 around the age of 15. He even quit rapping at some point to attended university, as well as get a glimpse of what the corporate world feels like. However, he retraced his steps as his passion for music was stronger than any feeling he was having at that time.
Anybody can relate to the lyrics of his songs because they are relatable and very personal, touching real-life situations and experiences. This may account for why fans love his music so much. His kind of music is a perfect blend of Arna Zion, RnB, Maskandi, Mbaqanga, and hip-hop – this is another reason why music lovers appreciate his songs.
In an interview, Qwana revealed that the reason a lot of average South Africans can relate to his lyrics is that he keeps to his true self and conveys stories that people know. According to him, he wants people to know his struggles and understand that he may have gone through whatever situation they may be going through, so, they are not alone.
He went on to add that fans tell him that he is a different kind of celebrity with the way his lyrics are relatable. However, he doesn’t see himself as a celebrity, but rather as a pastor who has a purpose and a message to spread. He sees himself as a voice for those who are going through things in life and need someone to tell their story.
Aubrey Qwana’s song Ngaqonywa was his first piece to get recognized by South Africans, and it spread like wildfire around the country in 2018. The success of the hit single did not just attract the attention of fans alone but also brought Aubrey to the attention of Sony Music Entertainment who signed him that same year.
With the help of DJ Tira’s remix of Ngaqonywa which was also very successful, it became gold certified, after which he went on to be featured in other songs and also released his own. Aubrey has since grown in leaps and bounds, collaborated with many superstars in the South African music space, including Emtee, Makwa Beats, and Stilo Magolide.
Here Are Some of His Most Popular Songs
- uKiss
- Umendo
- Molo
- Ngaqonywa
- Uhamba Nobani ft. Sho Madjozi
- Umbhulelo
- Ngakwenzani ft. Emtee
- Ngicel’ ubuye
The Single “Molo” Is One Of Qwana’s Major Hits
The release of Molo was a big hit for Aubrey Qwana. In less than one year of releasing the official video, it already has over 4 million views on YouTube. The success of the hit track made him drop an EP (extended play) titled Imvula Mlomo, instead of an album that he originally intended to release.
Aubrey Qwana did not know that his songs had gone so viral until he performed at Port Elizabeth in October 2020, and noticed that fans knew most of his songs as they sang along with him.
Even with all the successes he has recorded in music, singing, and rapping are not Aubrey Qwana’s only interests. The multi-talented artist is also a certified graphics and fashion designer and in 2011, he hosted the first-ever fashion show in Ladysmith.
