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The project signals a departure from the band-oriented jazz influences of her 2022 debut album Becoming, instead focusing on minimal arrangements centred on voice and acoustic guitar. The album was developed in collaboration with producer Thando Kunene (Th&o), with recording taking place between Tsholofelo\u2019s home studio setup and Kunene\u2019s studio in Johannesburg.<\/p>\n
According to Tsholofelo, the album draws on a range of influences while maintaining a consistent sonic core. \u201cBurning Bush<\/em> is a sonic experience that draws from many different genres,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s alternative soul and acoustic warmth, layered with ethereal pop synths. At the centre of every song is the guitar and the voice.\u201d<\/p>\n The writing process unfolded gradually, with weekly studio sessions over several years. Songs typically began in isolation before being developed collaboratively in the studio environment.<\/p>\n \u201cThe songs usually began with just me and my guitar in my bedroom,\u201d she said. \u201cThen we\u2019d spend hours in studio, completely locked in. It became a space where nothing else mattered except the music.\u201d<\/p>\n Much of the material on Burning Bush<\/em> was shaped during a period of personal reflection following her 2022 single \u201cPast Two Years\u201d, which addressed the emotional impact of the pandemic era. Tsholofelo described the process as closely tied to personal recovery and self-examination.<\/p>\n \u201cMaking the music was the beginning of my healing and my rediscovery,\u201d she said. \u201cI was processing a lot about myself and my life, and this body of work came from that space.\u201d<\/p>\n She added that some of the material proved difficult to perform during the recording process. \u201cSome songs were harder to sit with than others,\u201d she said. \u201cThere were times I couldn\u2019t even perform \u2018Burning Bush\u2019 without breaking down. Those songs were holding and healing me in real time.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the tracks, \u201cThe Art of Deception\u201d, features a cross-border collaboration that came together during the later stages of production. Tsholofelo described the process as unexpected but well-timed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt all came together in the most serendipitous and, honestly, divine way,\u201d she said. \u201cIt felt like confirmation that we were exactly where we were meant to be.\u201d<\/p>\n Tsholofelo said the finished album reflects a clearer sense of artistic identity. \u201cThis album finally sounds like me,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s more vulnerable, more exposed, but also more honest.\u201d<\/p>\n Burning Bush <\/em>concludes a phase of development that places emphasis on restraint and emotional clarity rather than layered production or scale. An accompanying album tour is scheduled for August 2026.<\/p>\n