Apple Music today announced South African dance music beat-maker Musa Keys (real name Musa Makamu), as its latest Isgubhu cover star.
“I’m super excited because this is actually my first cover ever and it makes me feel super great, special and appreciated by Apple Music and the masses,” said Musa Keys. “My music has grown to become what I’ve always wanted it to be and being the cover star of Isgubhu is a fulfilment of a dream. Thank you.”
Born and raised in Ivy Park, Limpopo, Musa successfully produced his first song aged 14, laying the foundations for his career as a producer. He has gone on to produce mammoth chart-topping hits like his debut single “Samarian Boy” and the second Most Shazamed Song in SA, “Vula Mlomo” featuring Sir Trill and Nobantu Vilakazi.
Musa’s highly anticipated album TAYO, due for release later in the year and now available to pre-add on Apple Music, takes its name from the Nigerian word for “source of joy”. He was inspired by his recent four-country African tour where he saw firsthand how much enjoyment his fans derived from his music.
Musa has also created an exclusive Isgubhu playlist that features tracks that exemplify South Africa’s influence on the global Electronic and Dance scene.
He adds, “The South African dance scene is special. I see it as a very wide space full of creatives expressing themselves. A lot of super talented producers and artists telling their stories and expressing themselves, their lifestyles and culture. I chose these songs because these are the songs that put me on when I’m out, these are the songs that make me feel amazing and blessed to be part of the genre.”
Taking over Isgubhu By… for the month is South African DJ, D E S I R E E, who is creating music with an Afrocentric style and steadfast loyalty to techno basics that’s skyrocketing her to worldwide recognition.
D E S I R E E says, “Electronic music has played a huge role in the sound and vibe I curate in my live sets. These selections I have made follow in the same fashion of me loving a broad range of African electronic music whether it be soulful house or Gqom. It’s important to me to play music from industry underdogs simultaneously with music from legends I look up to and that is what I have attempted to do with this selection of albums and EPs for my Apple Music playlist. This is a perfect fusion of the old and the new. It is time for the world to know of the strong electronic music scene in the continent and my hope is that this playlist will exhibit this.”
Raised on a diet of electronic music, D E S I R E E has consumed the essence of Thom Yorke, Atoms for Peace, Gui Borrato and Jon Hopkins, delivering eclectic yet accessible sets that are impossible not to dance to.
From a prestigious Rackless Kazi DJ residency in Zambia to being a Top 10 finalist for the UltraSA King of The Decks competition from over 500 entries, she has been rising steadily since. 2021 is the most exciting year for Desiree so far, with her first European tour alongside Black Coffee at Ushuaia in Ibiza, Watergate Open Air Festival in Berlin, Lost Village in the UK and La Clairière in Paris. She’s gone from African rising star to international champion.
Launched earlier this year, Isgubhu is the definitive home of African Dance and Electronic music on Apple Music which spotlights and elevates the work of African Electronic DJs, Producers and Creatives. Isgubhu, a Zulu word meaning beat and used to refer to a banging song, pays homage to an evergreen set of genres and the African artists who have played a pivotal role in shaping the Dance and Electronic scene across the world.
Isgubhu also houses a collection of playlists including Spotlight On – a focus on boutique labels like Soul Candi, House Afrika, Stay True Sounds and Uganda’s Hakuna Kulala & Nyege Nyege Tapes and Isgubhu Voices – a focus on the best Dance and Electronic tracks that feature vocals.
Listen to Isgubhu, only on Apple Music http://apple.co/Isgubhu
