Muzi, also known as “The Zulu Skywalker,” is one of the most revered and talked about musicians coming out of South Africa today. But the love doesn’t stop at the South African border with co-signs from artists such as Black Coffee, Chris Martin, Damon Albarn, Stormzy, and regular features on leading music blogs including Noisey, Afropunk, Okay Africa, and Complex. Muzi’s is one of the first names that come to mind when thinking about modern African music today.

But Muzi’s journey started long before his appearances on the world stage. The proudly Zulu artist hails from a township in Empangeni, some 140KM north of Durban. In addition to its rolling hills and coastal plain, it is also where Muzi first started to conceive of his place in music. Bolstered by the support of his mother, and soaking up the sounds of the time, there is no doubt that his roots play a significant role in the music he makes. He expertly blends together the influence of cutting edge urban and electronic music with local genres like Mas-kandi, Kwaito, Iscathamiya and Bumblegum Pop of the 80s and 90s. Like the title of his hugely successful second album, Afrovision (2018), Muzi has a keen sense of self, and the effect he wants his music to have on his listeners.