Who is Ruva Ngwenya? The powerhouse that brought Tina Turner back to the stage

If there’s one performer who deserves a spotlight, it’s Ruvarashe Ngwenya. From her stints as a jazz bar performer when she was just a teenager to playing iconic roles like TINA: The Tina Turner Musical’s titular songstress, Ngwenya has proved there’s much more to this Australian-Zimbabwean icon than just star power.

"I kind of can’t believe it’s me!”

What makes a “Tina?” You’d certainly need to be a triple threat: a singer, a dancer, and a seasoned performer who can act their face off. Ngwenya’s prior credits include The Lion King, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, We Will Rock You, and Moulin Rouge: The Musical, not to mention a blossoming music career that hit the ground running with her 2018 E.P. titled Humble Brag. Suffice it to say, she checked all the boxes with flying colors.

So too did many of the other aspiring Tinas, naturally. So what made Ngwenya stand out?

In an interview with Cream Magazine, the actress shared,“...in the end I would say my vocal abilities, along with the growth I showcased in my scene, and the dance auditions were impressive and inspiring.” Deeply grateful and pleasantly surprised, she stated in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, “I can’t believe it’s me!”

A humble brag indeed, but we’re inclined to believe she had a bit of Tina within her all along, a touch of soul that she brought to the stage that made it impossible to imagine anyone else in her place.

"Ain’t no mountain high enough"

TINA is, without a doubt, a crowning jewel in Ngwenya’s career. She’d already proven herself worthy of the role but has since exceeded all expectations, playing to standing ovations that erupt before the curtains even come down. It’s almost as if she’s a veteran in the role who has played the part since her childhood, albeit to a slightly different audience.

“I actually sang a Tina Turner number in a high school musical for the first time in year 10,” shares Ngwenya with Cream Magazine, continuing, “River Deep, Mountain High. That was a very special childhood moment that shifted my outlook on music and what I could achieve.”

The love, it turns out, went both ways. Before her passing, Turner lauded Ngwenya’s talent, telling Woman’s Weekly, “Ruva is a beautiful performer who I know will bring her own joy and soul to this role. She joins a wonderful unique group of women that are my Tinas … and I’m proud of each and every one of them.”

We’re not sure how Ngwenya took that, but we’ve certainly been reduced to a blubbering pile of mush. It doesn’t get much more iconic than that, does it?

Though, of course, Ruva Ngwenya’s turn as the icon in TINA: The Tina Turner Musical sure comes pretty darn close.