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Mail & Guardian

Creative Process

latest news & developments
Set for the stage: Ndumiso Manana is preparing for the first leg of a nationwide tour that begins in Johannesburg before moving to East London, Makhanda for the National Arts Festival, Durban, Cape Town and Pretoria. Photo: Supplied
AFRICAN MUSIC

Manana and the art of trusting the process

Fresh off his Standard Bank Young Artist win, Manana reflects on growth, collaboration and creating space for alternative sound in South Africa

  • Kibo Ngowi
8 min read
Quietly radical: Zee Nxumalo occupies a rare position in South African music, both a product of a digital moment and a shaper of it. Photo: Supplied
AFROPOP

Zee Nxumalo isn’t chasing depth — she’s living it

At 23, the singer-songwriter is shaping South African music on her own terms, blending beats, introspection and a fearless sense of self

  • Lesego Chepape
7 min read
It’s in the bag: Sun-El Musician, the artist whose real name is Sanele Sithole, says he’s living with the strange emotional whiplash of finishing an album. Photo: Supplied
AFRICAN ELECTRONIC MUSIC

Sun-El Musician enters new chapter with ‘Under the Sun’

On Under the Sun, Sun-El Musician lets go of perfection, embraces risk and steps boldly into his independent era

  • Kibo Ngowi
9 min read
For Manana, touring is about more than performance. It’s about truth. “Live is the last real thing in music,” he says.
ALBUM ROLLOUT

“Live is the last real thing”: Manana enters a warmer era

With live instruments and honest energy, Manana proves the stage is still where music tells the truth

  • Lesego Chepape
3 min read
On stage: Thandi Ntuli and her seven-piece band will perform at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz festival taking place in Johannesburg next weekend. Photo: Ndumiso Sibanda
ALEC KHAOLI

Rooted in rhythm: Thandi Ntuli on heritage, jazz and artistic renewal

The musician reflects on a decade in jazz, the influence of heritage and how curiosity and daily rituals shape her artistry

  • Kibo Ngowi
7 min read