Music, queerness, and selfhood

For Fumani Jwara, the journey through music, identity, and academic research has been anything but linear. His master’s project at the University of Cape Town (UCT), a combination of an extended play (EP) titled Patches and an autoethnographic dissertation, explores the intersections of queerness, marginalisation, and creativity in contemporary South Africa.

“It’s like, let me acknowledge the music side and challenge myself to create something that could speak to my experiences, my interactions with people, especially where identity and marginalisation are critical, particularly in South Africa,” Fumani explained. “I focus on queer identities. I use an autoethnographic approach, where I subject myself as the data, reflecting on select, yet very important experiences navigating what queerness and being a black queer South African look like. We’re a constitutional democracy, yet parts of society, where attitudes surrounding queerness are concerned, remain largely conservative, despite the hard-fought-for progress that has been made by activists, scholars and creatives in advocating for queer rights and visibility. We’re still struggling to find a middle ground.”

Supervised by Professor Adam Haupt, the director of the Centre for Film and Media Studies, his work towards his master’s degree in global media and communications is a joint venture between UCT and the London School of Economics (LSE) in the United Kingdom (UK) and is believed to be the first music project for a master’s in this programme.

Finding a voice through music and identity

Describing himself as “an all-rounder, inter-disciplinary creative”, Fumani’s fascination with music began during his childhood in Johannesburg, where he was born and bred. “I was never the typical male child. If I had to choose between playing sports and engaging in cultural activities like school concerts or public speaking, I’d always choose the cultural. Even when presented with music or athletics, I would gravitate toward music. That already pushed me into spaces where I was marginalised and stereotyped because it was expected of me to be and act like other boys. I was teased, bullied, and forced to find ways to assert my identity. It became even worse once I introspected away from the noise and was proud of who I was and comfortable in my skin. I was a constant target because I was not shying away from being myself.”

“Owning our truths – the good, the bad, the messy – allows us to present an authentic self, particularly in a society that often demands conformity.”

Yet, Fumani turned these experiences into a lens for reflection. “Navigating the label of queer, I had to find my voice and figure out how to position myself in a world where I wasn’t the boys-boy type. South Africa, like much of Africa, often considers queerness as ‘Western’, despite historical evidence of pre-colonial queer identities. I had to navigate personal identity within this societal framework – in friendships, romantic encounters, and familial interactions – while remaining true to myself.”

And, as he had noted from an early age, music became a connective tool. “Music connects us to memory and experience. I often say that music is akin to visual culture and communication because it, too, tells a story, but through sound. When creating the EP, I thought this was how we could address some of the issues or memories we have as individuals. Each song in Patches represents a fragment; a memory at a specific time. Life is not linear; each experience, whether rough or smooth, is a patch that contributes to who we ultimately become. Owning our truths – the good, the bad, the messy – allows us to present an authentic self, particularly in a society that often demands conformity.”

The creative process, however, came with its own challenges. There were three major difficulties, he said. Firstly, selecting which story to tell. “Autoethnography requires vulnerability, and I knew some people might identify with parts of my story. Secondly, music production was far more complex than he anticipated. “Translating the sound in my head into a tangible product was a technical and creative challenge.” And lastly, he had to manage perfectionism – wanting to put his absolute best foot forward. “Even after the thesis and EP were awarded a distinction, I still felt the urge to refine it further.”

These challenges were compounded by the pandemic. “I started the UCT phase of this programme during COVID-19, after completing the LSE phase in the UK, so much of my work was digital. I wasn’t on campus until a year later, by which time I had shifted focus to balancing work and the creative process. My supervisor was incredibly supportive, introducing me to autoethnography and encouraging the music component — the first music project for an MA in this programme. That support was crucial in allowing me to produce five of the six tracks myself and learn music production at high intensity.”

Challenges, breakthroughs, and new directions

The project also raised questions about the role of higher education. “I hope this serves as an example of interdisciplinary and creative research. There’s a high focus on STEM [science, technology, engineering and maths] degrees, and for a country such as ours that has vast social realities that are equally critical, creative research equally matters. When universities embrace interdisciplinary and practical approaches, graduates leave with skills that can be applied meaningfully, beyond theory and applicable across disciplines.”

For Fumani, Patches is more than an EP or thesis. “This project is proof that even fragmented experiences – rough patches and smooth patches alike – can come together to form something authentic and powerful. If this work inspires even one person, it has served its purpose.”

Looking ahead, Fumani sees multiple possibilities. “I’m excited about the next chapter, whether it is returning fully to the creative space, recording a full album, performing live, or engaging in further interdisciplinary work. This project reminded me of what I love doing. It may take me in directions I haven’t yet imagined, but the most important thing for me is that I want it to inspire others. I want people to see the impact and potential of creative practice in academia and society.”

Opportunities are already arising. Fumani has been invited to present Patches at the International Research Networks (IRN) South-Stream, which is supported by the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Johannesburg. This network brings together select creatives and digital & cultural studies researchers to share innovative work.