The Best Southern African Songs Right Now

Our mixed bag this month features songs from Botswana, Swaziland, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Take a listen, you might just like what you hear.

Press image of South African artist Moonchild Sanelly.

Photo by Grace Pickering via Grandstand HQ.

As we gear up to welcome the summer months in Southern Africa, artists around the region are also increasing the temperature. Below, we bring you heaters from Botswana, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe to spice things up and give you something to consider for your playlist.

Moonchild Sanelly - “Do My Dance” - South Africa

Moonchild Sanelly continues to test the outer edges of sound with “Do My Dance”, a song that lurks in drum and bass territory, and a video that portrays that high-octane party feeling in as colorful a way as possible. It’s one of the singles that the South African artist is testing the waters with in the lead-up to her full album, Full Moon, scheduled for the first quarter of 2025.

Uncle Waffles, Joey Bada$$, & Royal MusiQ - “Wadubusa” ft. OHP Sace and Pcee - Swaziland

From her early days as a viral DJ sensation to becoming one of the most in-demand amapiano performers due to her well-executed sets complete with dancers, Uncle Waffles has done well for herself. On the “Wadibusa” remix, a song she originally released back in April, Waffles enlists the assistance of New York’s premier rapper Joey Bada$ to lend some rap atop amapiano’s frenetic percussion. He executes the mission with ease and gives the song some additional shelf life while at it.

Holy Ten - “Kilimanjaro” ft. MrCandy - Zimbabwe

Holy Ten has been blasting heat in all directions since the year started. He’s part of an exciting crop of musicians who are doing incredible work out of Zimbabwe. “Kilimanjaro,” with MrCandy, lands where dancehall meets Afropop, with an amapiano log drum to confuse the enemies. The song is catchy, the video is enticing to the eye and the message resonates with everyday Zimbabweans.

25K - “I Was Broke” ft. Earle Fari, Berry Jive - South Africa

25K’s recently released album, Loyal to the Plug: The Life and Times of Don Kilograms, is an instant classic. He once again collaborates with producer Zoocci Coke Dope to curate an unforgettable experience of gritty street tales, and the hilarious, off-the-cuff rhymes that the emcee has come to be known for. On “I Was Broke,” he recruits fellow Pretoria emcees, Earle Fari and Berry Jive, to let the listener know what his life’s set-up was like before he made it.

Usimamane - “Bank” ft. ANATII, Tony Dayimane - South Africa

Back in June, we told you about this KwaZulu-Natal-born emcee named Usimamane when his single “Cheque” was quickly becoming a problem. Now we have a full-blown situation on our hands. His recently released album, 20th: Days Before Maud, lives up to the hype he has been building on since his 2023 debut alongside regular collaborator, Tony Dayimane. “Bank” is not only an update on “Cheque”, it’s an entire escalation. “Fuck a cheque, I need a bank,” declares ANATII, who adds a distinct touch to the catchy joint. The way in which each rapper adds to the song speaks to the beautiful, inter-generational camaraderie that South African hip-hop is experiencing currently. In the end, everybody wins.

Mpho Sebina, Karun - “Maji” - Botswana, Kenya

Mpho Sebina has made it her mission to connect with women from across the continent on her latest EP, Alkebulan. “Maji” is an ethereal connection with Kenya’s Karun, made all the more potent by a soft and soulful musical bedrock. This song should be played on loudspeakers on Sunday afternoons so that everyone goes into the new week revitalized.

Internet Girl - “Pull Up” ft. Maglera Doe Boy - South Africa

Cape Town’s not-so-hidden secret, Internet Girl, is a social experiment comprising elements of punk rock, rap, electro and whatever else fancies the ears of the two producers, Neese and Griggs. The emcee, TK, has a penchant for crafting the most ridiculous and in-your-face raps while keeping a straight face. It’s a talent, something they’ve been tinkering with since February 2020 when they stepped onto the scene. “Pull Up” finds them alongside rapper-of-the-moment, Maglera Doe Boy, who slides and fits in perfectly with the Internet Girl aesthetic. Play this if you want to have an adventure-filled day.

Babalwa M - “Bothatha” ft. Stixx & Nvcho - South Africa

The queen of private school ‘piano – the more laid-back, deep house-aligned morphology of amapiano, made famous by the likes of Kelvin Momo – stays blessing the electronic music world with timeless music. “Bothata” is an introspective as it gets from Babalwa M.

Sho Madjozi - “Kdigong” ft. Gemini Major, Ntando Yamahlubi, Tee Jay & Exclusive Drums - South Africa/Malawi

Sho Madjozi is no stranger to experimentation. The artist makes a welcome return to making bangers, and dips her feet in Chichewa territory on this song which features renowned producer Gemini Major, among others. The video is a heartwarming portrait of the time she spent in Malawi during the month of September.

Shane Cooper - “Spheres” - South Africa

Shane Cooper is one of South African music’s hidden treasures. Astute at both jazz and electronic music, there’s nothing that he can do wrong at this point. He also has the rare honor of having produced Stogie T’s Shallow EP, in addition to being a part of his touring band. “Spheres” features the incredible Bokani Dyer on piano, and is the lead single to his album, Hemispheres, slated for a 2025 release. With this song, Cooper also debuts his new electronic moniker, Outeniqua. The musician’s previous electronic music output was under the name Card On Spokes.

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