Steve Umculo sings whole lot of Indie with a sprinkle of Afro flavour

Some indie folk with a sprinkle of Afro flavour echoed through Linden recently when Steve Umculo took the stage at The Irish.
The singer/songwriter shared the stage with the Nomadic Orchestra, a band he has been a fan of for years.

Growing up, he lived in various communities though has spent most of his time in Illovo. Even though he found himself in different environments, his love for music was something that remained constant and true. “Music has always been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Mum plays the guitar and dad plays the piano, so there were always instruments around.”

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The first song Umculo listened to and thought ‘Wow, I want to do that’ was Original Prankster by American rock band The Offspring. He performed it with a primary school band at a music showcase, though his parents hated it, he and his band thought they were pretty cool.

The artist describes his genre as being what he likes to call indie folk with a sprinkle of Afro flavour. One of his favourite songs he has written was for his wife which he played at their wedding. “It’s been hard for me to write a song for her because it feels like it’s never going to be good enough but I think I got pretty close with this one.” Ultimately though, he wants anyone who listens to his music to feel a sense of peace.

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On stage, you’ll find him playing his first love, the drums, as well as some guitar, piano and bass. The musician, who is inspired by fellow artists such as Beatenberg, Vusi Mahlasela, Jack Johnson, Jeremy Loops, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and most fittingly his parents, still has dreams he aims to fulfil.
Two of them are to perform on the European festival circuit and get his upcoming album on the SA Top 50.

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