MUZI’s new single ‘Chocolate Dreams’ features South African vocalist Una Rams (recently signed by Black Coffee), Nigerian singer Saint Seaba, and MUZI on vocals. The track blends elements of house and afrobeat into a heartfelt electronic song that’s firmly grounded in the strong tradition of African dance music (Rams sings the last verse in his home language, Tshivenda, while MUZI sings in isiZulu). ‘Chocolate Dreams’ follows his last singles ‘Zenzile’ (currently Shazam UK Dance Top 20) and ‘Desire’ (feat. Yanga Madlala) which reached Top 30, and No.17 respectively in 5FM’s SA Top 30 Chart; and hugely successful ad syncs for Apple’s iWatch, Ralph Lauren, and Nandos (firmly demonstrating how emerging artists can bypass traditional routes to achieve global exposure).
After spending 2015 and 2016 in Berlin MUZI returned to South Africa earlier this year to finish his forthcoming second album, to be released in 2018 on his own imprint WE.THE.BUNDU via !K7 and Sony Music Africa. His hard-hitting sonic approach remains deeply inspired by his upbringing – a tale of striving through adversity in the semi-rural township of Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal, where he’d have to ride for miles to get internet access to send demos to record labels – but MUZI’s return ‘home’ has had a profound effect on his music and songwriting, reflecting the optimism and energy of the burgeoning SA music scene(s).
Prior to ‘Boom Shaka’, MUZI’s ‘Fire FX EP’ garnered the attention of major names and labels including Mad Decent, Foreign Beggars, OWSLA, Rinse FM and more; and the lead EP track, ‘Fire (VIP)’ can be found on the soundtrack to ‘Generation Revolution’, the British documentary which explores contemporary Black and Asian activism. MUZI’s connection to the UK was further strengthened when he travelled back to South Africa with grime superstar Stormzy to shoot the mini-documentary for Vice/Noisey titled ‘Stormzy & MUZI: From South London to South Africa’, a coming together of two artists from two different musical worlds.
As a DJ, MUZI’s become a fixture at South Africa’s most important clubs and festivals. He made his UK debut at Bestival, and made a significant impression on Berlin’s club scene via sets at Ohm, Schwuz, Musik & Frieden, and Monarch (where he headlined a Vice party that saw 1000 people descend on the 250 capacity venue).
Listen below and buy on iTunes.
