Media personality and musician Lady X has officially completed her sangoma initiation, marking a deeply personal milestone after years of struggle, spiritual awakening, and self-discovery, as she now steps into her role as a traditional healer while preparing to merge her gift with music.
Lady X, real name Xolisa Mvula confirmed that she has undergone the rigorous process of ukuthwasa – a sacred initiation journey believed to be guided by ancestral calling, which can take months or even years to complete under the mentorship of an experienced healer. The process involves intense spiritual training, rituals, and personal transformation, often requiring initiates to step away from everyday life to fully embrace their calling.
Her journey, she revealed, was not easy, she revered through the chalenges. Like many who respond to a spiritual calling, Lady X experienced periods of emotional and physical distress before accepting her path—an experience widely documented in traditional healing practices, where symptoms are often interpreted as a sign from ancestors urging the individual toward initiation.
Now a qualified sangoma, Lady X joins a respected lineage of traditional healers in South Africa. Sangomas play a vital role in communities, offering guidance and healing that addresses not only physical ailments but also emotional and spiritual imbalances through rituals, divination, and herbal medicine.
Describing the completion of her initiation, she added:
“I feel like I’ve been reborn. I walk differently, I think differently, and I understand my purpose. This is not just about me—it’s about serving people and honouring those who came before me.”
Speaking about her transformation, Lady X described the completion of her initiation as a “rebirth,” aligning with cultural beliefs that the process signifies the death of one identity and the emergence of another – one dedicated to healing and service. Her graduation ceremony, attended by family, mentors, and members of the community, symbolised her readiness to practise and carry forward ancestral knowledge.
Importantly, Lady X says she does not plan to abandon her creative roots. Instead, she aims to fuse her spirituality with her music, using sound as a channel for healing and storytelling. This approach reflects a growing movement among modern African artists and healers who are blending traditional practices with contemporary expression, using music as a medium to process spiritual experiences and connect with audiences on a deeper level.
Her new music is already in the works, with releases expected in the coming months. The upcoming project is set to draw heavily from her initiation journey, incorporating themes of identity, healing, ancestry, and transformation.
“Music has always been part of who I am, and now it has even deeper meaning. I want to create music that heals, that speaks to the soul, and that connects people with their own journeys,” she said.
Lady X’s transition also comes at a time when traditional healing is increasingly recognised within South Africa’s broader healthcare and cultural framework. The Traditional Health Practitioners Act provides for the regulation and recognition of healers, underscoring the important role they play alongside conventional medicine.
As she steps into this new chapter, Lady X says her mission is clear: to heal, to inspire, and to create. With her dual path in music and spirituality, she hopes to bridge worlds—bringing ancient wisdom into modern spaces while offering audiences both sound and soul.
