Audio/Visual
Spotify highlights Southern Africa’s new talents
Listen to these rising stars to get ahead of the curve of new music from the region poised to break out globally.
Spotify has unveiled a fascinating list of rising stars from Southern Africa who it believes are poised to make their mark on the global music scene in 2024.
“Africa is a treasure trove of artistic talent, and 2024 promises to be a year of exciting new voices breaking through,” the global music streaming service said this week. “From soulful singers to trailblazing artists, these emerging talents are going to be the ones to watch this year as they put in work to captivate audiences and redefine the pulse of Africa’s music scene.
“Embracing familiar sounds, yet adding their innovative twists, these new voices represent a potential shift in the musical landscape. Their fresh perspectives promise to rethink popular music, not just on the continent, but globally, and captivate listeners worldwide.
“They are woven from across the diverse threads of South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia, bringing a rich tapestry of styles, cultures, and perspectives to the forefront and promising to enthrall listeners worldwide.”
Spotify provided the following summary of the artists it expects to break through this year:
An Umhlanga native, the instrumentalist, and vocalist on the rise Sykes is a multi-talented artist known for his collaborations with Dlala Thukzin, especially on the chart-topping Amapiano banger iPlan. Sykes also worked with Dlala Thukzin on Mina. With 1.2-million monthly Spotify listeners 2024 is going to be even bigger for the artist.
Tembisa’s Ggoldie is a versatile woman disc jockey well known for the single Asambe. With a music career that started in 2021, her sets are intricate and well-thought-out. Spotify Greasy Tunes attendees got to experience her sets intimately last year when she took to the stage at the pop-up in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
Thakzin, whose music DNA stems from creating specific and distinctive sounds and being a 3-step pioneer (a new and developing variation of Afro House), is known across the industry as an artist with a versatility that is as unique as his music. On the single, The Magnificent Dance, Thakzin managed to capture the 2022 summer period with the song achieving viral status. Don’t Let Me See, and Please Don’t cemented his place in the music industry.
The hip hop community’s wordsmith on the rise, Wordz who hails from Pretoria, first gained prominence through his feature on A-Reece’s single A Real Nigga Tale. His projects which showcase his songwriting and rapping skills include EPs Long Lost Letters and Death B4 Dishonor released a year apart. Wordz released an album titled People forget to be people and a deluxe version of it in 2023.
The duo known for producing enthralling Amapiano music is capturing audiences from Johannesburg, Durban, to Cape Town. Their prominent single with DBN Gogo, Zee Nxumalo, Ceeka RSA and Chley Funk 55 released last year is currently dominating the Amapiano scene.
Social media played a huge role in introducing Capetonian artist Will Linley musically to the digital community. However, through the single miss me (when you’re gone) and 2023 EP Magic, Will Linley found his place in the music industry. With a sound that extends beyond popular music, Will Linley’s delivery from writing to vocals is impeccable and arresting.
Nanette from Durban’s music career started in 2021 with the release of the debut LP Bad Weather with a guest feature on Fire from Nigerian artist Idahams. Critically acclaimed within the R&B space, in December 2022, features with Kelvin Momo, titled Fool Me and Imfula saw her crossover nationally. ‘Fool Me’ charted atop numerous South African music charts. Nanette further shines brighter in 2023’s released Talk 2 Me, and Call You.
BOTSWANA
Titose is an R&B artist whose music draws and is inspired by personal experiences. Her sound is the result of collaborations with Zambian-born producer AmoBeatz, and it blends contemporary hip-hop with the smoother and warmer sounds of R&B as evidenced by her 2023 album release All Things Considered and on songs including Borderline and Star.
ZAMBIA
Natasha Chansa also known as Princess Natasha Chansa (PNC) is an award-winning singer, rapper, and producer known for her 2022 release Sini Ziba featuring Yo Maps.
