Having lived all her life in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, Wazi M Kunene is a comedian who is taking the industry by storm having already been nominated for the Savanna Comics Choice Award. The Pietermaritzburg native never shied away to tell us the sort of individual she is when she’s with family and friends as she explained to say, “Sweet question and I love being known for being hilarious, that’s what my close friends and sisters have always experienced me as too. I’m a very curious person, very fascinated by human beings and psychology. I love nature, animals and I’m a present plant mom. Don’t tell the streets though, I’m known as a tough thug out there!”
Wanting to find out more about the talented comedian and her background growing up in Pietermaritzburg, Wazi continued to say, “I won’t say my childhood because that was interrupted terribly and I had to be an adult real quick, however so much healing is happening now and I am now just entering my childhood. I already did my adulting Bafwethu, good luck!” She continued to enlighten us how her community raised her to be the person she is today, she continued to say, “We didn’t have a lot in my neighbourhood and that taught me to create or seek out and find what I needed and wanted.”
Wanting to also know more about the comedian’s upbringing and how her community made her who she is today, she went on to say, “We didn’t have a lot in my neighbourhood and that taught me to create or seek out and find what I needed and wanted.”
As entertainers, there is a passion that is instilled within and artist through other artist’s work or through the moments that one artist he/she has gone through that literally sparked the love and passion for the space they are currently in and there is no exception to Wazi’s story as to how she fell in love with the stage being a stand-up comedian as she stated, “Ooh man, I’ve always known I’d do comedy eventually. I didn’t begin my performance career with stand up but right from the beginning, comedy was always part of whatever I was doing. Be it writing skits with a friend, infusing comedy in my writing of children’s books and storytelling. Then watching standup comedian for fours then after I was like, that’s enough school, it’s time to take the mic.”
“The hardest parts have been getting stage time in the beginning. Launching my standup career as other people already knew me for poetry and writing and I guess, making a living. It’s definitely getting better and I’m really proud of my progress,” as she further explained how she was able to overcome the obstacles that have been in the way of her living her dream as a stand-up comedian.
When it comes to the people who have guided and supported Wazi through her journey in the comedic space, she gladly told us that there are quite a few comedians that have helped adjust along the way without them realising it as she understands how passionate her fellow colleagues are at the craft. She continued to say, “Getting up and doing this every day is so beautiful and encouraging to watch. There is so much variety and skill and talent in South African comedy!”
“Bafwethu, my career is just beginning really, so young and I feel blessed to have accomplished all that I have. For now, highlights of my career is launching my debut standup show: Dawn. Touring my show around the country, people coming out to see me. Wow!” as she told us the highlights of her career so far have been. She added by saying, “And just recently being nominated for two Savanna Comics Choice Awards. Bafwethu, Yeses!”
Like any other entertainment space, one seems to grow with vast amount of experience and there is no exception to the growth Wazi has gained over the period of time she’s been in the comedic space as she stated, “The practice of comedy, I’ve said this of friendship too, it has seized the remnant of my breath from the fists of the savage night and lead it back to my lungs. The art of standup has introduced and reunited me with myself in a very deeply spiritual way. I am connected and part of God’s plan. I feel valuable and there’s a lot of growth there, knowing you matter here, that you are valuable!”
When it came to us wanting to know what the future of comedy in South Africa is going to look like, the Savanna Comics Choice Award nominee explained to us by saying, “Ooh, comedy is bigger than what we can even imagine right now. Laughter is a very powerful lullaby that eases the aches of being human, for both comedian and audience. And then it awakens us with a deep realisation that we need each other to repair and go on. I know comedy seems under threat with triggers words “cancel” but that’s only because comedy will shake the world for the better. Trust the process.”
Like any other performer on stage, Wazi surely has a memorable day or night she enjoyed performing in front of a crowd and did she not hesitate to let us know what it made that moment all-so special for her as she gladly stated, “Theatre, theatre, theatre! More than a specific show or venue, a theatre setting for me is a favourite. Everybody in there is intentionally there, for comedy, no matter how raw. Everybody in there honours comedy.”
When it comes to Wazi’s top 3 comedians to grace the stage period and was also short and precise with it, she went on to say, “For different reasons, right now Tats Nkonzo, Celeste Ntuli, Robby Collins.”
When it comes to the amazing and talented stand-up comedian in Wazi M Kunene being given her flower through the work, she has put in through her creative work, the Pietermaritzburg native went on to say, “I love it when people are so lost in laughter, making their rawest most individual sounds and so deeply vulnerable that nothing else matters but spreading that joy, stretching their hand and holding their friend so tightly as if sealing this moment of joy for eternity. Don’t we all wish we could stay in that moment, witnessing another being happy that it feels you with much happiness. That sweet human connection. Rest.”
Where you can find the amazing, talent comedian when it comes to all her social media, her handle is @WaziMKunene on all social median platforms. 21st of March, she had a show at The Bioscope and also on the 25th of March she had a live show taping with other dope comedian at The Landmark Cocktail Bar in Bryanston (Sandton, JHB). For future shows that she will be promoting on her social media platform, do not be afraid to come through as well as support the next South African stand-up comedian to take the world by storm!