Award-winning gospel artist Ntlantla Swana on Trust & Believe Album -

Award-winning South African gospel artist Ntlantla Swana released her album, Trust & Belief, in October 2025. Since then, she has been on a heartfelt journey of faith, navigating trials, surrender, and divine understanding. The eight-track project explores the tension and beauty of trusting God, even when His answers are not what we expect.

Many of the songs were first written as early as 2014, during her high school matric year, giving the album a depth and maturity shaped by years of personal growth.

Trust & Belief blends contemporary gospel sounds with elements of traditional African gospel, especially evident in songs like Ndiyakudinga Njalo and Uma Inguwe. With production by Lungelo Ngcobo and executive production by Ndex Consulting, the album delivers a sound that is both modern and deeply rooted in authentic worship.

Through Trust & Belief, Ntlantla hopes to encourage every believer who has faced doubt, disappointment, or hardship. The album speaks to those who have prayed, waited, and perhaps questioned God’s silence, yet still choose to trust His sovereignty.

“My hope is that listeners feel both the familiarity of home and the freshness of something new, and ultimately that they are reminded that God is constant through every season,” says Ntlantla Swana.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

Trust & Belief blends contemporary and traditional African gospel. How did you decide on this sound?
The sound really came from wanting to stay authentic to both where I come from and where I am musically right now. I grew up in church, surrounded by traditional African gospel, but I’ve also been exposed to contemporary sounds through my studies and performance work. So Trust & Belief became a meeting point of those worlds.

Many of your songs were written as early as your matric year in high school. How has your approach to songwriting and expressing faith matured since then?
Back then, the songs came from a very pure but quite simple place of faith. Over the years, I’ve gone through more life experiences, more questions, more waiting seasons, and that has deepened how I write. Now, I don’t just write from what I believe, but from what I’ve lived through. There’s more honesty, more surrender, and more understanding that faith is not always about having answers.

Your album Trust & Belief explores trusting God even when answers aren’t what we expect. What personal experiences inspired some of the songs on this project?
A lot of the album is rooted in seasons of waiting, disappointment, and trying to understand God’s will. There were moments where the answer was “no” or “not yet,” and that’s not always easy to accept. But those experiences taught me that God is still good, even when things don’t go the way I planned. That’s really the heart of the album, choosing to trust and believe anyway.

What’s next for you musically and spiritually — are there any collaborations, projects, or personal goals you’re excited about?
Right now, I’m part of a project called Breakthrough Worship ZA, which released its debut album Volume 1 towards the end of 2025. We’re currently preparing for Volume 2, which is set to come out later in 2026, and that’s something I’m really excited about.

Beyond that, I’m focused on continuing to grow both musically and spiritually. I want to keep creating music that is honest and impactful, and to minister in spaces where people genuinely encounter God. More than anything, I’m allowing God to lead what comes next and trusting Him with the direction of it all.
Can you tell us about your earliest memory of singing or playing music as a child, and how it shaped your journey into gospel?
My earliest memories are in church, singing and playing keyboard from a very young age. Music was never separate from my faith, it was always part of how I expressed it. That environment shaped me in a way that made gospel music feel natural, not forced. It became my language of worship before I even fully understood it.

You became a youth worship leader at just 13. What lessons from that role have stayed with you throughout your career?
That experience taught me that ministry is not about age, it’s about obedience. I also learned very early that leading worship is not about performance, it’s about creating a space for people to connect with God. That perspective has stayed with me and continues to guide how I approach music today.

How did growing up in a pastor’s household influence both your faith and your musical path?
Growing up in a pastor’s home meant that faith was a daily reality, not just something for Sundays. I saw firsthand what it means to trust God, even in difficult moments. That naturally influenced my music, because my songs reflect that same journey of faith, trust, and surrender.

Looking back, what motivated you to pursue gospel professionally after exploring jazz and musical theatre?
Jazz and musical theatre really helped and are still helping me grow as a musician and performer, and I’m grateful for that. But my heart was always drawn back to worship. At some point, I realised that gospel is not just something I do, it’s who I am. Pursuing it professionally was really about aligning my career with my calling.
Your debut single Umlilo Medley earned you a nomination at the INGOMA Awards. How did that recognition impact your confidence and direction as an artist?
That nomination meant a lot to me. It felt like confirmation that I’m walking in the right direction. It gave me confidence, but more than that, it reminded me of my responsibility to stay true to the message and the calling behind the music.
Can you share one experience from performing internationally, like the International Teen Talent Competition in the U.S., that changed your perspective on music or ministry?
Being part of that competition in the U.S. opened my eyes to how universal music really is. It showed me that music can connect people across cultures and backgrounds. It also challenged me to grow, to take my gift seriously, and to see it as something that can reach beyond just my immediate environment.