Nigerian-French singer-songwriter Aṣa has made her long-awaited return from hiatus with us last hearing her soulful and soothing voice on ‘Bed of Stone’ her third studio album release all the way back in 2014. This, however, doesn’t mean the multi-platinum selling star wasn’t busy as lived experience in of itself is an invaluable part of…
Today is your lucky day. You’re about to be introduced to more new music and art than you’re not going to know what to do with at first. Like, just click here. Ja, that’s a lot of music but now you’re sorted for music for the next 2 months at least. And guess what? All…
“It’s a cold world, and I wanna be the boss, not just a hype man screaming ‘cole world’”, Vanessa Ndlovu aka Venus Raps spits over the beat in “War Cry”. The song is the story of her journey from humble beginnings in Newcastle to where she is now. At age 22, Rap’s is navigating her…
According to Wikipedia “‘Mahraganat is a combination of popular chaabi music played at weddings and electronic dance music. DJ Filo made the genre more well-known’”. Chaabi music is an Arabic form of traditional music which has more buzz in countries like Algeria and Egypt. Apparently, the Mahraganat genre was a rebellious counterpart to the Egyptian…
Pietermaritzburg born Xenlaii is more than a rapper, with the multiskilled artist having dipped his toes in design as well. However, it is his sonic diversity that shines through brightest on the ‘Surf: Am EP’. Sounds range from LoFi beat loops, Trap bangers and production that sounds distinctly West Coast. Thematically as one may assume,…
Ngola ticks all the boxes for someone who is poised to break into the public consciousness. He’s a multifaceted creative who is certainly a go-getter. The Umlazi-born actor and musician is someone who seems to be constantly making moves and putting work into their career, with each step they take helping them build a long-term…
There is nothing more immaculately soothing than soulful music that transcends time to allow for immersion and possibility to take place. KAJAMA remains the catalyst for the best when it comes to alternative soul music in the country. Their artistry displays a strong and powerful bond between two black women who are deeply connected through…
Inspired by the likes of, ASA, Amy Winehouse and Hiatus Kaiyote, Italian born Francesca Biancoli is a songstress that freely expresses herself with the necessary tools that are verified by her soul. Her experimental methods offer a style of gypsy-jazz and neo-soul, through her guitar and the help she gets from her producers allows her…
I’ve always been envious of people who have always known what they want to do with their lives. I only really figured out what my dreams were in my 20s, so I’ve always felt a step behind my peers who were working on their crafts since they were kids. Kimberleigh Venty is a 22 year…
Untangling Lights is hFACTOR’s community outreach programme and the heart and soul of how we operate. It was created primarily to identify the needs of the Lagos Island community and respond by using a social enterprise model to foster business models that use creative approaches to solving problems and generating revenues. It is named eponymously to…
Flare frames a face, a neck. A clouded sky becomes a solid area of both possibility and pain. A voice of longing. Intimacy. A cinematic dream. “Love and Leave” is a music video created by an all-womxn team of creatives. I had the opportunity to speak to director Amy-Leigh Braaf and songstress Hee Young about…
Johannesburg-born, Cape Town-based rapper and producer Laudable is back with a brand new tape featuring 8 tracks entitled ‘The Great Sensitivity’. Having got his start releasing music at 15 as Parenthemis, a made-up name, 2015 would see the birth of Laudable and the release of his first mixtape, ‘Survivor’s Guilt’, under that moniker. “I played…
