Nakhane Touré on New York Times top 10 list

Multi-talented SA artist Nakhane Touré got the best New Year’s gift yet.

While on his way to an interview in New York, he opened the New York Times to discover he’s been identified as one of 10 artists to watch in 2019.

The 30-year-old is a musician, actor and author, who starred in The Wound and has albums Brave Confusion and The Laughing Son.

He is due to release the deluxe version of his album, You Will Not Die, in the US next month.

“When I saw the [New York Times] list I was surprised. I was really excited. It seems a good way to start the year,” he said.

His music has evolved over his career, something Nakhane attributes to a greater confidence in himself.

“That’s from allowing myself to learn from other people. ‘There’s strength in vulnerability’ is sometimes a true aphorism,” he said.

The artist, who previously called Port Elizabeth and Joburg home, has relocated to London. He said he was “very adaptable” and took to living in England with ease.

“For reasons that have been explained to me by my therapist, I am able to detach myself from spaces with no difficulty. When I left South Africa, things were quite fraught for me, so it made the process somewhat easier.

“I’m happy where I can be the best artist that can be.”

His debut novel, titled Piggy Boy’s Blues, centres on the spiritual lives of black people and normalises gay sex by using “the plainest language possible”.

The book was part of the 2017 course The Contemporary African Novel by Rhodes College in Tennessee.