Hle - THE GROUND WE'RE ON (2025)

Tracklist

01. Nguwena / Uthixo
02. Umile
03. Nami
04. Awozeli
05. Shake The Ground
06. Believe
07. You Will Never Fail
08. You Will Never Fail (Reprise)
09. Present Help
10. Ujesu'uyinkosi
11. Uyobusa

There is something about Hle’s lilting mezzo-soprano that sounds inexplicably suited to gospel. The child of a bishop, the singer born Hlengiwe Ntombela was near destined to deliver the “good news.” And yet, her unmistakably balmy voice continues to forge new pathways in the tradition. The music of THE GROUND WE’RE ON marks a purposeful step away from the American gospel influences of 2023 EP Take Heart, leaning proudly into the singer’s Zulu heritage and the gritty percussion of Afropop.

If the sonics are in some way unfamiliar, the messaging won’t be. Hle establishes connections with some of the most inspiring stories from the Bible on songs like “Ujesu’uyinkosi” and “Shake the Ground,” while reminding listeners that there will always be provision for them in “Believe” and “Present Help.” She’s at her soulful best on the two-part suite, “You Will Never Fail” and “You Will Never (Reprise),” reaffirming a trust in the heavenly father despite any temporal doubts gnawing at her heart. THE GROUND WE’RE ON was created in collaboration with pianist and music director Bhekisisa Mthembu, whose musicality only serves to elevate Hle’s reflections on how great God has been to her.

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