Qonce-born singer Ntombemhlophe is celebrating a dream come true after her debut single, Mama, achieved platinum status less than a year after its release.
The 25-year-old artist, whose real name is Anitha Nizole Slere, marked the milestone at a star-studded but intimate celebration in Rosebank, Johannesburg, on Friday — a moment she says began with a simple diary entry last year.
“Dear God, can I have a hit song,” she wrote.
A year later, that prayer has been answered.
Mama, featuring Tee-s Papah and released last June, has become one of the country’s trending songs, earning millions of streams across platforms and going viral on social media.
The singer said the song had amassed about five million streams on YouTube, four million on Spotify and two million on Boomplay.
Only a few musicians can say their first official single became a major hit, and Ntombemhlophe now counts herself among them.
“I’m really excited,” she said.
“Even though I knew this day would come, it still means a lot to me.”
Story audio is generated using AI
Mdantsane-born gospel singer Ncebakazi Msomi will return home on Friday for the launch of her second solo album, 37th Psalm, at the Downtown Christian Centre in KuGompo City — her first major performance in the city after more than two decades away.
Msomi began her professional music career in 2010 after being signed by renowned South African gospel ensemble Joyous Celebration.
She said she was excited to perform for a hometown audience, with the event already sold out.
“Tonight is going to be a night where I bring my entire team from Johannesburg, while also incorporating elements from here in East London,” Msomi said.
“We are coming very excited. I must say, there is something very warm and different about home.
“I’ve done all my shows in Johannesburg before.
“When you establish yourself outside your hometown for so long, people there begin to adopt you, so I’ve been warmly received in Johannesburg and other provinces.
“But, as the saying goes, there is no place like home.”
Her opportunity came while she was singing as a backing vocalist during a church worship service attended by Joyous Celebration founder Lindelani Mkhize.
She went on to spend seven years with the group, performing songs including Wachithigazi and building a national profile within the gospel music industry.
Msomi released her debut solo album, 34th Psalm, in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said the project was inspired by Psalm 34 and was intended to encourage people during one of the most difficult periods in recent history.
“The album encouraged people not to lose hope or become discouraged, but to look to God as the solution during the dark time we were going through,” she said.
Her new album, 37th Psalm, explores themes centred on the Trinity and spiritual restoration.
“So this album is called 37th Psalm — God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,” Msomi said.
“God gave me songs that focus on His role as the Father and head of the church, the role of the Holy Spirit as the helper of the church, and Jesus Christ as the redeemer and saviour of the church.
“The songs are very evangelical in nature in that they are calling people to be restored to their original position with God.”
The album features the Assemblies of God choir and includes songs such as Bulelani uYehova Hymn and Yebo Nguye.
Msomi said the launch would include surprise guest appearances and would also be televised.
She said audiences should expect more than just entertainment.
“People should come expecting a personal encounter and not approach it with a collective-experience mindset,” she said.
What we are used to doing in Johannesburg must also be brought here — if not better — because that is how seriously I take my hometown
Msomi said she was determined to deliver a production that matched the standards of major Johannesburg performances, saying audiences in her hometown deserved the same level of excellence.
“I came here with the intention of not treating this as a small-town show,” she said.
“I want to bring the very best experience.
“What we are used to doing in Johannesburg must also be brought here — if not better — because that is how seriously I take my hometown.
“I do not think we should cut corners for the people of my hometown. They do not deserve any less than what we are bringing.”
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Ntombemhlophe said she hoped to take the platinum plaque home for her father, Vusumzi Slere.
“Even though he already believes in me, I want him to see that I’m really serious about music,” she said.
Born in KwaNompandlana village in Qonce, Ntombemhlophe discovered her love for music while singing at church and school.
She said Mama was inspired by a popular gwijo song often sung at traditional ceremonies and celebrations, blended with her own sound and style.
As producer, Anuza SA, played the beat for her, she immediately heard the lyric “angalila umama xa endibona ndinje” in her head.
“I mixed it and put in my own spices and that’s how it came about,” she said.
The song pays tribute to mothers, including her own mother, Khunjulwa Dosi.
“I relate to songs about mothers a lot because it’s very personal,” she said.
“I grew up without my mom, but I didn’t want the song to be too emotional.
“I wanted people to dance while listening to it, even though the lyrics are touching.”
An Eastern Cape reggae artist who once turned down an international record deal to focus on his studies has now signed with a New York-based label — nearly a decade after first being discovered.
Furah Dread, whose real name is Fundile Guqa, has secured a two-year contract with Jamaica International Records, marking a breakthrough moment in a journey built largely on independent releases and persistence.
The 34-year-old singer and songwriter, originally from Mbizana and now based in Mthatha, was previously featured in the Dispatch in 2019. He is also an aspiring filmmaker.
Guqa said his relationship with the label dated back to 2017, following the release of his single Smoking.
“I started promoting the song internationally, communicating with radio stations online.
“Some told me they had already found the song themselves and were playing it,” he said.
He said Jamaica International Radio began playing the track regularly, which led to interest from label owner Robert Strawder.
“The owner of the station, who also owns the label, wanted to know if I was signed.
“They wanted to offer me a contract,” he said.
I felt being a student would take up most of my time and complicate things if I recorded music and studied at the same time
Guqa was initially offered a five-year deal but declined after receiving a bursary from the Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Council to study film at Afda in Durban in 2019.
“I felt being a student would take up most of my time and complicate things if I recorded music and studied at the same time,” he said.
Despite turning down the deal, he continued releasing music independently.
His track, I Was a Prisoner, tells the story of a man wrongfully accused of sexual assault.
“It is about the abuse of men for a change.
“There are many languishing in prison accused of things they did not do,” he said.
He followed up with People Must Stop in 2020, which speaks against violence, and later released Heart Is Smart, which became his biggest international hit.
The song topped charts on radio stations in countries including the US, Portugal, England and Honduras.
Guqa paused his music career during the Covid-19 lockdown while completing his film studies, before returning in 2024 with Let Us Be One, a song promoting unity and ethical leadership.
He said he had remained in contact with the label over the years.
“Though I had cancelled the first contract, I promised to let him know when I was ready.
“When he asked again recently, I told him I was now ready,” he said.
The contract was signed on March 11.
Under the agreement, Guqa will record six songs a year over two years, while retaining creative control.
“The deal allows me to record in my own way, in my preferred studio in South Africa, with the company funding everything,” he said.
He said ownership of his music would rfevert to him after the contract ended.
“After the contract expires, all the music rights revert back to me, meaning I will own everything I have created,” he said.
Guqa said he hoped to follow in the footsteps of late reggae icon Lucky Dube.
He said his musical journey began with kwaito before he discovered reggae through music played in a shop in Mbizana, where he was introduced to artists such as Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.
Despite international recognition, he said his music was often misclassified.
“Often stations say my music is unique, but they classify it as pop or hip hop.
“My music is a mix of many things, but I would like to see reggae get more recognition in this country and globally.”
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Ntombemhlophe said the response to the song had been overwhelming.
“People say they like my vocals and the message,” she said.
“They tell me they knew I was meant for this and that empowers me a lot.”
She said she realised the song was becoming something special when she woke up the morning after its release and found influencers from countries including Tanzania, Angola and Nigeria using it in dance videos on TikTok.
“It was extremely surprising, but such a great feeling,” she said.
“I was proud of myself because I had always wanted a hit song.
“This is my first single and the dream has been realised. More hit songs are coming.”
Ntombemhlophe initially signed with Sniper Entertainment before later joining Asanda Empires, owned by Asanda Mabengwana.
The two entertainment companies on Friday celebrated the platinum milestone together.
Sniper Entertainment chief executive Clement Tshuutshuu said he first met the singer during a clothing campaign before discovering her musical talent.
“I was amazed,” he said.
“She became like a daughter to me. I’m proud of her, and I wish her all the best in the industry.”
“This is just the beginning.”
That is how gospel singer Sesethu Maneli describes her journey after becoming the first artist to be signed by The Voice Lounge’s newly launched record label.
The platform marked the milestone on Thursday, welcoming Maneli into the studio as part of its artist-signing celebration.
The Voice Lounge’s boss, Lungisa Sigobelwana, said the signing represented a major step for the fast-growing brand.
“This is our first artist. Her name is Sesethu Maneli, and she is a gospel singer from Port Elizabeth [Gqeberha],” he said.
They discovered Maneli after she appeared as a guest performer on one of the platform’s shows.
“We saw something special in her. After she performed on the show, we decided to sign her.
“It was a natural step for us as we continue to grow,” he said.
“She signed a two-year contract; however, it is open for extension if need be.”
The Voice Lounge began as a podcast, later expanding into a multi-platform media hub, incorporating an online radio station and a recording studio.
“From the beginning, it was just a podcast. But the vision kept growing.
“We saw the need for an online radio platform, and from there we moved into building a recording studio,” Sigobelwana said.
Today, The Voice Lounge operates as a combined space for podcasting, online radio and music production.
Despite being just seven months old, the platform has enjoyed rapid growth.
“In just seven months, we have reached about 22-million views,” Sigobelwana said.
“We believe we are one of the fastest-growing online radio platforms, not only in the Eastern Cape but in South Africa.”
He said the addition of a record label, allowing the platform to develop and produce its own artists, was a natural next step,
“We have a studio in the building where we record music.
“We are also working with some of the best producers from around South Africa to make sure the quality of our work is world class,” he said.
For Maneli, who was born and raised in Gqeberha, the opportunity marked a significant moment in a journey rooted in faith and music.
“I love the Lord, and I love what I do, which is singing.
“For me, it is not just singing; it is worship.”
She grew up in a musical family, performing in a group that sang at weddings and funerals.
Maneli developed her talent through church and school choirs, honing her voice and building her confidence.
After finishing school, she began to take her music more seriously.
“I realised that I have a voice and a purpose.
“As I grew spiritually, I began to understand why I sing and what I am called to do,” she said.
Her journey gained momentum after the Covid-19 lockdown, when she took part in live broadcasts with friends.
One performance went viral in her community, opening doors to new opportunities.
“I started getting invitations to minister at different places. From there, things kept growing,” she said.
She later joined various music groups and collectives, expanding her reach and experience.
It was during one of these performances that she caught Sigobelwana’s attention.
“He approached me after I performed and told me about the vision of The Voice Lounge and the idea of starting a record label.
“He believed in me, and that is how everything started,” she said.
Maneli said her new music was already in development.
“We are currently working on songs that we will be releasing soon,” she said.
She draws inspiration from local and international gospel artists, including Mahalia Buchanan, who started as a member of Joyous Celebration before becoming a solo artist.
Renowned musician, pianist and producer Nqubeko Mbatha has joined The Voice Lounge team to help shape Maneli’s sound.
“I’m looking forward to seeing her grow as an individual recording artist,” he said.
“The plan is to make good music, very good music.
“I’m bringing my A-game and working with the right people to ensure this becomes the success it should be.”
Mbatha said Maneli’s debut project was expected to be a solo album, though collaborations with other artists remained a possibility.
“Collaborations are always a good idea, especially for a first project, but we will let the songs guide us.”
Having recently arrived in KuGompo City, Mbatha said he had been impressed by the team’s drive.
“These people are serious. They are not playing,” he said.
“They have achieved a lot in just seven months, and I don’t want to slow down their momentum. I want to match their pace.
“My role here is music production. I want to focus on building the sound,” he said.
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Tee-s Papah, who features on the track, also thanked fans for their support.
“We really appreciate the support,” he said. “There’s more music coming.”
Ntombemhlophe said she planned to release an EP later this year before working on a full album.
“I’m here to boss in this industry,” she said with a laugh.
Beyond music, she is also a University of Johannesburg graduate in development studies, majoring in public management and governance, and hopes to continue studying towards an honours degree.
For now, though, she is simply enjoying the moment — and the reality that a prayer once written in a diary has turned into a hit.
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