Nana Atta On Her Big Break. Nana Atta, real name Sinenhlanhla Mthembu, is the oldest of five children born in Stanger and raised by a single mother in Verulam, North of Durban. She began her musical journey at the age of 11 when she wrote her first song for the family choir.
She would soon become leader of her school choir and later, at 23, grow into a powerful R&B and hip hop artist signed to Universal Music Group. Speaking on how she got her big break, she told News24: “So, I think it started when I worked with [Zakes] on his Love, Light and Music 2. We had known each other long before then. I was very much still a kid, like fresh out of school and he heard a demo of mine and he was always interested in working with me. So, I think it was in 2017 when we worked on his album – or 2016 – we finally got to work together and after we finished his album, I then approached him to continue the working relationship.”
“You know, with him having so much experience in the industry and me still trying to figure myself out in the industry, trying to find my voice and stuff and the sound that would take me further. I approached him to help me with that, to work with me and he was very much willing to do that,” she added.
Nana’s wide range and sassy, unapologetic lyrics are what immediately strike most people.Her soulful performances have seen her share a stage with the likes of Riky Rick, Aewon Wolf, Lira and the legendary Ringo Madlingozi.
