Bongeziwe Mabandla

Quietly redrawing the boundaries of African folk music, Bongeziwe Mabandla sings almost entirely in isiXhosa, creating a sound where language acts as a door rather than a wall. Born in Tsolo and raised on church choirs and Bantu folk, Mabandla has built a globally recognized catalogue through his partnership with producer Tiago Correia-Paulo. Their work blends Mabandla's guitar and tenor with electronic textures, resulting in acclaimed albums like iimini and amaXesha. His most recent project, Ndingubani, explores themes of pursuit, betrayal, and personal introspection, continuing his rise as a magnetic force in the contemporary global music scene.