N1NJA and Nana Atta’s “Umusa” Finds Its Power in Place, Language, and Timing

It began with a chance introduction by Grammy award-winning artist Zakes Bantwini. N1NJA, the London-born producer whose music bridges Afro-Tech and progressive, had been playing Nana Atta’s tracks in her sets for years. When the introduction happened, collaboration started remotely—but the bond deepened months later when they finally met in South Africa. 

“I had the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to Johannesburg for my work as a curator in the music industry with IMS, where we put on an IMS Connect Event with Beatport,” N1NJA says. “The track really came together through a moment of rare universal synchronicity.” 

Before their performance at Constitution Hill, N1NJA and Nana met in person for the first time in a recording session at Universal Music Studios. Nana gravitated toward a sketch on N1NJA’s laptop, an untitled idea that would become “Umusa.” She recorded the vocals in one take. 

“She explained that the lyrics were rooted in grace and freedom,” N1NJA recalls. “The very next day, we performed the song together for the first time at Constitution Hill. I hadn’t known the performance would take place on such historic ground, and to stand in the place where Mandela was imprisoned and share a song centred on liberation felt almost beyond comprehension.” 

Balancing Afro-Tech and Progressive 

“Umusa” blends Afro-Tech rhythms with progressive elements, a combination N1NJA describes as a conversation between earth and sky. 

“For me, Afro-Tech and progressive music share a common emotional DNA. They both create movement, but in different ways. Afro-Tech has this primal, driven energy that anchors you back down to the ground, while progressive gives you space to build long arcs of emotion. My approach was to let the Afro rhythms lead the body and let the progressive elements speak to the mind. The Zulu vocals became a bridge between the two because Nana’s voice resonates not just rhythmically but intellectually and emotionally. Her cadence functions like an ancestral mantra, deepening the narrative while guiding the listener inward. I treated all of these elements like a conversation between earth and sky, making sure neither dominated, but instead elevated the story I wanted to tell.” 

Zulu was an essential part of that story. 

“Having Nana sing in Zulu was essential because a native language carries a spirit that cannot be replicated in translation. When she sings in her mother tongue, there is an honesty and emotional clarity that cuts straight to the heart. Zulu has its own musicality, its own rhythm and

texture, and it brings a real sense of lineage and lived experience to the track. Zulu anchors and honors the roots of Afro-tech while elevating the emotional world we wanted to create.” 

From Remote Collaboration to Studio Magic 

While the majority of the record was written before Nana joined, the remote collaboration shaped the final track. 

“The majority of the record was already written by the time Nana came on board, which gave us a very clear foundation to achieve the vocal magic quickly. Once we met, it became much easier to align on the emotional world we wanted to create. From there, the remote process was very straightforward. I focused on sound design around her vocals and built a call and response between the synth and her voice, and then we finalised the mix remotely.” 

Ancestral Influence and Storytelling 

The ancestral influence in “Umusa” comes through in both vocals and rhythm. 

“The most significant ancestral element in Umusa is the Zulu language itself and the tonalities Nana brings through her delivery. The ancestral influence also lives in the percussion and groove, with rhythms that echo traditional drum cycles and give the track a sense of ritual and forward motion. The synth work is more melodic and progressive-driven, creating a sense of urgency and a musical response to her vocals. It becomes the bridge that ties both worlds together, blending cultural heritage with modern electronic storytelling.” 

The song’s narrative of resilience and hope also reflects both artists’ experiences. 

“As a producer, my intention has always been to create music that feels transcendent, shaped by my own journey of finding refuge and strength in sound after experiencing bullying when I was young; even my artist name, N1NJA, reflects the warrior spirit I had to cultivate. Nana brings her own resilience as an African woman in the music industry, along with the cultural depth and wisdom of Zulu storytelling. When we combined our worlds, the narrative of Umusa emerged naturally as a message of hope, grace, and perseverance, shaped by both our personal journeys.” 

Tales of Twilight and Artistic Freedom 

N1NJA’s new label, Tales of Twilight, gives her the freedom to explore a world entirely her own. 

“Having my own label gives me the freedom to build a world that is entirely my own. With Tales of Twilight, the vision is to capture the enchanting energy that lives between dusk and dawn, creating stories for the golden hour. It’s also where I can finally merge my lifelong love for motorsport with music. I grew up competing, so the sounds of speed have always been part of

my inner rhythm. The label is a creative canvas for me to sample snowmobiles, planes, race cars, skis, and turn them into musical language, layered with the symbolism of the moon. It’s equally a space for stillness, where I can weave in my love for wellness by creating ambient, guided breathwork journeys alongside each record—a tool that has supported me through 

neurodiversity, performance anxiety, and simply navigating life as a human.” Live Performance and Future Vision 

Live, N1NJA translates the storytelling from studio to stage through energy and pacing. 

“Translating this ethereal storytelling live is something I think about constantly. In the moment, it begins with reading the room on an energetic level, sensing how the crowd is moving, and crafting moments of tension and release that create emotional arcs throughout the set. When I host my own events, I’m also intentional about curating the environment, from the type of audience it attracts to the energy the space holds, because that foundation determines how deeply the story can land. Long term, I’m exploring ways to present my music in unique listening environments, especially around the golden hour, and to bring in live elements like sitarists and vocalists who can deepen the cultural dimension of the experience.” 

The Message of “Umusa” 

“Let ‘Umusa’ remind you of what we rise from, and what we rise toward,” N1NJA says. “For us, it’s a message of resilience and resistance, but also a reminder that no matter what you’re moving through, there is always a way to walk that path with grace.”