Zakes Bantwini gets candid this Friday on Africa Now Radio

This Week’s Episode Features a Conversation With Zakes Bantwini, the 5 Hottest Tracks of the Week, Africa Rising and Nandi Madida’s Favourite Track of the Week!

Tune in to Africa Now Radio with Nandi Madida this Friday, December 8th at 9a London / 10a Lagos/Paris / 11a Johannesburg / 1a LA / 4a NYC on Apple Music 1 and broadcast on YFM Accra every Sunday at 2pm, YFM Kumasi on Saturdays at 3pm and YFM Takoradi on Saturdays at 6pm.

Cover Star Interview
South African house superstar and Grammy award winner Zakes Bantwini joins Nandi Madida via FaceTime on Apple Music 1 to talk about his latest track, “Abasekho”. He also discusses his new album, ‘The Star Is Reborn,’ and how artists like Tyla elevate the game for South African performers.

The Big 5
Nandi Madida shares the 5 hottest new African tracks of the moment. This week’s selection includes new tracks from Tems, Seyi Vibez, Libianca, Oxlade & Chlöe, Ch’cco, Pabi Cooper & M.J feat. QuayR Musiq, and Mellow & Sleazy & Focalistic feat. Thama Tee.

Africa Rising
South African amapiano star Tumelo.za is the latest artist featured from Apple Music’s Africa Rising playlist, a campaign which shines a light on the next generation of African superstars, and this week’s show features his singles, the Ceeka RSA and Nandipha808 collab, “Isukile (feat. Tyler ICU)”, and the viral Tyler ICU collab, “Mnike (feat. DJ Maphorisa, Nandipha808, Ceeka RSA & Tyron Dee).” Listen HERE.

Nandi’s Song of the Week
Each week, Nandi Madida chooses her favourite track from one of Apple Music’s African playlists. This week she spotlights South African hip-hop legend Da L.E.S and his single, “Solo (feat. Gemini Major, ManuWorldStar & Navio), from Apple Music’s Rap Life playlist. Listen HERE.

Tune in and listen to the full episode this Friday, December 8th at 9a London / 10a Lagos/Paris / 11a Johannesburg / 1a LA / 4a NYC on Apple Music 1 at apple.co/_AfricaNow and broadcast on YFM Accra every Sunday at 2pm, YFM Kumasi on Saturdays at 3pm and YFM Takoradi on Saturdays at 6pm.

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Zakes Bantwini Tells Apple Music About His Album, ‘The Star Is Reborn’

My album ‘The Star Is Reborn’ is like a continuation of my last album, ‘Ghetto King.’ I feel like sonically it’s more or less like an extension of that album because that sound I’m still exploring. On that album, ‘Ghetto King,’ it was an introduction to the way Afrohouse and Afrotech – the music, the way now it’s sounding – and I felt like there was still a lot of instruments I still want to use in the sound, so the extension of that culminated in ‘The Star Is Reborn.’

Zakes Bantwini Tells Apple Music How Artists Like Tyla Can Influence South African Performers 

When you look at artists now like Tyla… I feel like audiences need to see a performance and in South Africa we don’t get to see a performance a lot, because most people who are happening in South Africa have to stand behind the decks, because the music is carried by DJs in South Africa and I think that needs to change. We still need to find more artists performing dances, really doing something amazing and that’s why Tyla is so important. She’s saying “Hey” to the world, “We are South Africans and we perform like this.” That’s why I’m loving what is happening right now.