Munaka Muthambi's exit from 'Piano Pulse': the God-given reason you didn't see coming

The Star

22-05-2025

Nomathamsanqa Sithathu | Published 9 hours ago
In a recent interview on the 'Tell Us Y' podcast with YFM, Munaka Muthambi, former co-host of the popular amapiano podcast 'Piano Pulse', shed light on her reasons for leaving the show.
Her departure had sparked controversy and amusement among fans and fellow podcasters, particularly after she cited that 'God told her to leave' as the reason for her exit.
Initially, Muthambi had stated that the 'Heineken House' incident and the drama with amapiano artist Sizwe Alakine, formerly known as Reason, had nothing to do with her reasons for leaving the podcast.
'My reasons have nothing to do with the whole Reason saga and our incident with Heineken; we've moved past that a long time ago,' Munaka previously stated.
However, it seems that her reason for leaving has changed with time. In the recent interview, she revealed that the 'Heineken incident' did play a role in her decision to leave.
The controversy surrounding the 'Heineken incident' began when Muthambi was individually invited to a 'Heineken House' event and attended without her co-hosts, Sfiso Ndlovu and Thakgi Ledwaba.
This made them feel excluded, leading to tension between them as co-hosts.
Muthambi explained that she attended the event as an individual invitee, and not as a representative of the podcast, which led to the disagreement.
During the interview with 'Tell Us Y', Muthambi revealed that from there, she spent a month fasting and praying, seeking answers about her future on the podcast. During this time, she was uncertain about her place on the show and was grappling with the challenges she faced.
A while after the tension, another incident took place in the studio when a recording of a 'Piano Pulse' episode was in session.
This was when the amapiano artist stopped by at the studios to address the comments made by Ndlovu and Ledwaba about his rapper girlfriend, Gigi Lamayne.
When the drama with Reason unfolded in the studio, she took it as a sign from God that it was time to leave. To her, the situation was the answer she had been seeking, and she felt that God was speaking to her, guiding her to move on.
'After the Reason situation, that was what I low-key prayed for. Not that I prayed for that to happen, but dude, when I fasted and that drama happened, I went 'ahh',' she said, emphasising that she needed a solid reason and God showed her.
Muthambi's decision to leave the podcast was also influenced by her initial doubts about joining the show.
She admitted that she was shaky about being a part of 'Piano Pulse' and had reservations about whether it was the right fit for her.
'It's not like I woke up and decided I wanted to leave. Literally like two months in, I was like 'Is this really for me?' Like I could feel it from the start,' she said.
Her concerns were further heightened when she heard MacG, host of 'Podcast and Chill', express doubts about her ability to last on the podcast due to her brand affiliations. MacG's comments hurt her feelings, but did not surprise her.
Despite her reservations, Muthambi had committed to the podcast, but the drama with Reason and the underlying tensions with her co-hosts ultimately led her to seek guidance from God.
Additionally, she feels that the podcast deserves a person who is passionate and well informed about the amapiano genre.
In hindsight, Muthambi's comments provide a deeper understanding of her decision to leave 'Piano Pulse', beyond the speculation and jokes that followed her departure.
Her revelation that she was uncertain about joining the podcast from the start and that the drama with Reason was the final sign for her to leave sheds new light on her experience.