Naledi Aphiwe Receives $3,000 For Being Sampled on Chris Brown's New Album

Chris Brown spotlighted Naledi Aphiwe's vocal prowess in a video shared on his Instagram stories, praising her "incredible" voice. The 17-year-old swiftly surged to the top of trending lists. Little did she anticipate that a year later, her voice would be featured on the R&B artist's 11th studio album, 11:11, in a track titled "Shooter," earning her $3,000 (R56,207).

Expressing gratitude, Aphiwe remarked, "Chris Brown did what I would have never done. Many people are talented outside, and he chose a child from a small city like mine. I appreciate him so much. People who didn't know anything about Naledi Aphiwe today know her. It has changed my home situation. Everything is good now," she shared with TshisaLIVE.

Aphiwe, also known as Aphiwe Myongwana, boasts over 80,000 followers on Instagram. Leveraging her growing fan base, she has released two songs, "Uyangijabulisa" featuring Nomfundo Moh and "Zojiki Izinto" featuring Fezeka Dlamini. With aspirations to make a mark in the music industry, she seeks guidance from her sister, Nontokozo Mkhize, the renowned hitmaker behind Lu Strong.

In her debut year in the music industry, Aphiwe envisions collaborating with various artists like Lwandukulu, Black Diamond, Cici, Qabe Twins, Sbahle, and others she admired in her youth. Despite the support of her musical family, she emphasizes the importance of education, prioritizing her studies as a grade 11 pupil at Khethokuhle Secondary School. Aphiwe acknowledges the encouragement from her isiZulu and life orientation teacher, Thami Bhengu, who played a pivotal role in fostering her musical dreams.

Reflecting on her journey, she said, "I was in my classroom during examinations, but that day we were not doing anything. We were bored. We decided to sing, and our class teacher came inside. We were scared he would shout, so when he entered, we kept quiet, but he told us to carry on. When we sang, he took his phone and made a clip. If it was not for my teacher, I wouldn't be able to fulfill my dreams. I do well at school. Because I do well, I can juggle both. I've always wanted to be a singer."