Zoë Modiga to unlock The Vault at the Market Theatre

Presented by creative hub Yelloëwax, the event will take place at the John Kani Theatre and signals a new phase in Modiga’s artistic journey following her recognition as the Standard Bank Young Artist for Music in 2023.

A personal archive brought to life

The Vault is a self-written and self-produced project rooted in alternative soul, drawing on material created over nearly two decades. The album brings together previously unreleased songs written between 2007 and 2025, alongside reworked pieces from across her catalogue.

Modiga describes the album as “a love-themed time machine”, reflecting a wide spectrum of emotional experiences.

“It is a vulnerable and explorative record about self-love, romantic love, familial love, life-love, God-love. Agape love,” she says.

Revisiting older material formed part of a broader process of reflection. The result is a body of work that moves between introspection and rediscovery, tracing both personal and artistic evolution.

Creative autonomy and reinvention

The album’s title reflects both preservation and transformation. Beyond the idea of stored memories, Modiga frames The Vault as a symbol of movement and change — “to jump or leap over an obstacle”.

Central to this shift is the introduction of her creative alter ego and producer identity, ‘Rha’, which shapes the album’s narrative and sonic direction. Through this lens, Modiga explores a more experimental and fluid approach to storytelling.

“The vitality of one’s creative autonomy and expression is the betterment of society,” she says. “If art is the mouthpiece of our human experiences, then being able to express oneself with freedom and without fear will have a powerful domino effect on society.”

A symbolic return to the stage

The choice of the Market Theatre carries particular weight. Established during apartheid as a space for independent and often politically charged work, the venue remains one of South Africa’s most significant cultural institutions. Its 50th anniversary in 2026 adds further resonance to the occasion.

For Modiga, performing The Vault in this setting connects past and present, both her own and that of the space.

“We will have a moment unlike any that has been had on this stage before,” she says.

Originally from Pietermaritzburg, Modiga first gained national attention as a contestant on The Voice South Africa in 2016. She has since developed a reputation for genre-fluid work, blending soul with elements of jazz, rap, amapiano and alternative sounds.

Her debut album, Yellow: The Novel (2017), was followed by Inganekwane (2020), which reached number one on the Apple Music World Chart, and Nomthandazo (2024).

With The Vault, Modiga turns inward, drawing on her archive to shape a project that reflects both continuity and change, a revisiting of the past that also points towards new creative directions.