The Best Southern African Songs of 2024

The year has been long and eventful, and artists have kept the fresh releases coming. This is just a sample of all the music we enjoyed this year from Southern Africa.

The cover art for OkayAfrica’s Best Southern African Songs of 2024 featuring Tyla.

From Lesotho to South Africa, Botswana and beyond, this wide selection of Southern African songs will ease you into this festive season and to pick you up in the new year.

Featured artist: Tyla. Cover design: Mia Coleman/OkayAfrica.

South African hip-hop has had a year filled with revelations. There's an exciting wave of cross-generational collaborations, as seen with the likes ofSjava and The Qwellers and K.O. and Maglera Doe Boy. This has put to bay claims that older heads don't care for the youngins. The wave of excitement spilled into Lesotho, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe, where artists like Sannere, Oriiginelle and Holy Ten have consistently released music that resonates with the masses.

While it is true thatamapiano is having its moment on the global stage, especially over the last two years, other kinds of electronic music are also taking over the world. Afro-tech and Afro-house, for example, have kept artist-DJs like Desiree, Kasango and Nitefreak booked and busy.

South African jazz is also enjoying a sweet time. Just last month, a cohort comprising the likes of Thandiswa Mazwai, Thandi Ntuli, Keenan Meyer, Bokani Dyer and The Brother Moves On invaded the United Kingdom for a special celebration of South Africa's 30 years of freedom under the banner “Sikelela, Thirty Years On.” Linda Sikhakhane's album, Iladi, coincided with his signing into the legendary Blue Note record label. He's only the third-ever South African to be signed there afterSylvia Mdunyelwa and Nduduzo Makhathini. On the live music front, the acclaimed Cape Town International Jazz Festival returned for the first time this year since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overall, the region is producing brilliant art that reflects the time we are living in. From Lesotho to South Africa, Botswana and beyond, this wide selection is designed to ease you into this festive season and pick you up in the new year.

We present a list of the best music releases fromSouthern African artists this year.

Omali Themba - "Mahlo A Batho" (Lesotho)

Lesotho's Omali Themba crowns himself 'loverboy supreme' on this boom-bap-leaning headbanger. The song is about a love interest he's been chasing for a hot minute and now gets to share a life with. He explores the joys of this newfound romance over three verses punctuated by vocalist Bobby Strings' hook hyping this love interest to ensure that heads turn regardless of where they go.

Malome Vector - “Hae Bohla” feat Sannere (Lesotho)

This posthumous release by Lesotho'sMalome Vector, who died in a car accident earlier this year, features one of the country's most loved artists, Sannere. The overdue linkup didn't disappoint, and Vector's well-executed chorus set the stage for lyrical mayhem.

Maleh - "Mmoloki" (Lesotho/South Africa)

Maleh has stayed the course and built a strong base in music. This comes with a legion of dedicated followers, some who have been present from the start and others who discovered her along the way. Her praise, hope and redemption songs connect viscerally with audiences, and it's not uncommon to see people teary-eyed during her live musical sermons. She is both praise poet and healer on "Mmoloki," an Afro-tinged song about finding comfort in knowing that her Creator is always on her side.

Holy Ten - "Very Tight" (Zimbabwe)

Holy Ten is part of the new wave of Zim emcees who've taken notes from earlier iterations of rap impresarios and are now locked in as mouthpieces for their own destiny. He's been in the spotlight since 2020 and has gained acclaim through collaborations with fellow artists like Voltz JT, Julian King and Shasl. "Very Tight" comes on the back of his sweltering Risky Life II album, released in February. It's a seamless club smash that comes pre-installed with Holy Ten's unique tone and epic flow. The effects are instant and roughly two minutes long; this one will sit nicely on any playlist. Stiff necks be damned.

Tammy Moyo - "Kelly Kelvhedhura" feat. Master H (Zimbabwe)

Tamy Moyo links up with Zim dancehall's top don, Master H, to deliver a top shotta tune that packs all the right elements and doesn't waste time. "We sat down with [Master H's] team and said that we wanna come up with an anthem, something that will resonate with people and be good vibes, good energies," the artisttold OkayAfrica back in September. The effect is instant. All one has to do is step in line, ignite some fire and revel in this truly lit moment: a scorcher, one for the books.

Young Gemini - "Ngatidzokerane" (Zimbabwe)

Popular wisdom in these cold dating streets is that there's nothing out there and that if you've got someone in your life, you must find a way to make it work. Zimbabwe's Young Gemini seems to subscribe to this mandate, and her song "Ngatidzokerane" (literally, "Let's Get Back Together") suggests as much. It's a modern R&B take on the age-old tale of romantic partners admitting that their decision may have been made in haste and that loneliness is making them regret having done so in the first place.

KindlyNxsh - "Don't Braai Me [Soldier Man]” (Zimbabwe/South Africa)

Producer-emcee KindlyNxsh (pronounced Kindly Nash) has been a revelation on the hip-hop side of sound this year. He had already been working behind the scenes with Blxckie, AKA, and Riky Rick before he started releasing his own music. Now he's got the masses in a chokehold and has the likeability factor in check. Next year is going to be big for the emcee.

Denimwoods - "DAISO" feat. Takura (Zimbabwe/DRC)

Denimwoods is known for his witty lyricism, sharp performance style and enigmatic persona. "Daiso" is the artist's latest single and comes cushioned in all the tasteful sensibilities of modern rap. The rapper incorporates elements of French in his songs, and the effect is long-lasting.

Mpho Sebina - "Tshepo" (Botswana)

"What keeps you up at night?/ Darling, always remember that you are a diamond light," sings Botswana's golden voice, Mpho Sebina, in her latest song. It's a self-love mantra, a reclamation of her strength following loss and grief and an assertion of her self-belief. The song is in line with Sebina's past work, which references sonic archives from the past ( see "Lerato"). In this case, she uses the Dalom Kids' "Ditsala Tsa Me" as inspiration and proceeds to craft a breathtaking bop that demands repeated spins.

William Last KRM - "Today" feat. Lindough (Botswana)

William Last KRM's comedic flare works wonders to expose his musical brilliance. He's found a lane and is milking it for all it offers. "Today" taps into the same formula that made the '90s acts like Dalom Kids, Matshikos and Spokes H household favorites, and the impact is magical.

Mumba Yachi - “Wala Wala” (Zambia)

Congolese Zambian musician Mumba Yachi's "Wala Wala" injects someZamrock and updates the rapper Chef 187's 2015 hit of the same name. It's a song that portrays the feeling of ticking all the boxes in life yet still falling short of achieving one's dreams. The dread accompanying that is a universal feeling, hence why the artist's rugged-at-the-edges update rings well and true in a world that keeps rejecting hope and favoring violence.

Aqualaskin - "Broken Man" (Zambia)

Zambia's Aqualaskin gets real and raw on this reflective rap joint about how loss and grief left him feeling like he's had to rely on himself and how that experience has left him broken and shattered in ways he could never have imagined. "It's embedded in my scalp / pain too deep, you can never understand," he raps while the beat massages the ears, transporting the message to the deepest confines of the heart.

Triple M - "Follow" feat. Driemo (Zambia)

Zambia refuses to get left out of this new wave of excitement blowing throughout the region. "Follow" is Triple M's latest single, featuring fellow artist Driemo. It has all the elements of a hit: addictive melody and lyrics that are straight to decipher. This one will instantly fill an empty dance floor and bring extra flavor during many wedding occasions — one for the masses, from Zed to the world.

Tyla - "Jump" feat. Skillibeng & Gunna (South Africa/Jamaica/USA)

Tyla, Gunna, Skillibeng - Jump (Official Lyric Video) Tyla has been on a roll this year. From award shows to fashion runways, the South African star always found a way to remain in the news. Back in May, she recruited acclaimed video director Nabil to film her collaboration with Skillibeng and Gunna in the inner city of Johannesburg. The result is a depiction of city life that doesn't feel forced. "Jump" is as high-energy and inventive as it is catchy and mainstream and a worthy competitor for the cross-Atlantic linkup of the decade. Double it up!

Bokani Dyer - “Ke Nako” feat. Sereetsi and the Natives (Kid Fonque Refix) (South Africa, Botswana, U.K.)

In its original form, "Ke Nako" is a jazz masterpiece about the importance of nationhood in a post-Apartheid South Africa still contending with its past. In the hands of Kid Fonque, it becomes the definitive guide to murking the dancefloor 'til dawn breaks. The vocals make way for the horn section, the bass takes center-fold, and the drums are a steady four-to-the-floor thump with a psychedelic spice that hints at something not very far from the thriving Afrotech sound uniting party-goers around the globe. Botswana's Sereetsi and the Natives land the perfect punch amidst the thriving mash-up that results, and all this while the healing is in progress.

Usimamane - "Cheque" (South Africa)

Durban-born emcee Usimamane has been one of the greatest revelations in South African hip-hop this year. He released "Cheque" in March and hasn't loosened his grip on the masses since. His guest verse on Mashbeatz and Wordz's "Imali" is definitely a contender for the year's best opening lines. To quench the thirst for his much-anticipated album, he released20th: Days Before Maudin September, and the response has been nothing short of amazing.

K. Keed - "Year 24" feat. Nasty C (South Africa)

Gugulethu-born K. Keed has been bubbling beneath the surface for the past few years, and her dedicated base has been growing naturally over time. She's one of the most exciting emcees in South Africa right now and teams up with Nasty C on "Year 24," a chaotic slapper fit for consumption by esteemed hip-hop heads worldwide.

Sjava - “Ngibongiseni” (South Africa)

Sjava's had an incredible run during his career, but the past year or so has witnessed him ascend to new heights. It's in this spirit of constant wins that "Ngibongiseni" exists. It's Sjava inviting us to congratulate him on all that his ancestors have done for him. The song is among the four from his re-released deluxe package from 2023's Isibuko and revels in the wavy alt-pop that has captivated new listeners without losing his old base.

Selaelo Selota - "Thrrr… Phaaa! (DESIREE Remix)" (South Africa)

South African DJ and producer DESIREE has taken a certified South African classic and deconstructed its Afro-jazz-leaning roots to produce a funk-laden, upbeat,electronic smash. DESIREE had initially intended this as an edit, but the Malopo spirits that imbue the original had plans of their own. She hosted a listening session during which she shared that she was attracted to the song due to the shared Sepedi ancestry between herself and Selaelo Selota. Roots go deeper and, as the remix attests, roots know no genre.

DJ Lag - "Oke Oke" feat. Jazz Alonso (South Africa/Spain)

DJ Lag is the blueprint for electronic music in South Africa. The Durban native has been unleashing timeless bangers for a decade, and his mission becomes more apparent with every release: he wants to dominate dancefloors. "Oke Oke" might elevate him onto the Ibiza circuit and open a door for him to become the only gqom progenitor blazing dancefloors at the highest level. This track is iconic!

Crispy Malawi - "Uzithamanga" (Malawi)

Everything Crispy Malawi has going on right now has been the work of consistency, self-belief and magnetism that endears people to his music. The Lilongwe native's approach to rap can be described as super chill; he approaches flows with a relaxed attitude that allows the mind to travel. "Uzithamanga" forms a series of drops that he and his Mario Bros collective have been unleashing since the onset of 2023. It is an unassuming display of style and swagger set against the backdrop of a Savanna countryside. Crispy Malawi's one of the few rappers out now who can make a laid-back joint about running and still have campuses countrywide turn up when he performs it. One to watch, for sure.

Oriiginelle - “16s & Some” feat. Ntatao & Novl (Swaziland/South Africa/Lesotho)

Swaziland's Oriiginelle is an exciting new voice in the Southern African rap scene. She packs all the essentials of a dope emcee: a vocal tone that draws you in, an unsettling command of the pen, and a relentless desire to deliver a banger every time. She joined this song by Lesotho's Ntatao and South Africa's Novl for "16s & Some," the result is an astounding degree of reality rap. This is a match made in rap heaven.

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