Johannesburg, Friday, 28 August 2026 – Renowned South African singer, songwriter and producer MUSA opens a new chapter with the release of “Hamba,” a soulful and emotionally resonant single that offers the first glimpse into his forthcoming album, UHAMBO. The record explores the difficult conversations that emerge when long-term relationships reach their end, bringing themes of acceptance, boundaries and respect into sharp focus. Built around an old-school soulful sound with touches of blues, “HAMBA” captures MUSA at his most reflective, using his commanding voice to turn an intimate relationship story into a universal conversation about love, endings and emotional maturity.
The release also marks an important chapter in MUSA’s partnership with David Gresham Records (DGR), a music company founded in 1970 by renowned radio and television figure David Gresham. With more than five decades of experience in the music industry, DGR has built a legacy around marketing, promoting and distributing music from both South African and international artists. Its global distribution network spans more than 220 markets and over 300 digital stores worldwide, creating a significant platform for MUSA as he enters the next phase of his career and takes his music to audiences beyond South Africa.
Throughout his career, MUSA has built his artistry around music that speaks to love, human connection and lived experience. “HAMBA” continues that tradition while offering a mature reflection on relationships and the reality of letting someone go. Rather than approaching separation through resentment, the song considers how people can acknowledge the end of a journey while continuing to respect the life and space they once shared. “‘HAMBA’ is a conversation that many people in long-term relationships may want to have, but rarely ever do,” says MUSA. “It explores the idea of letting someone go while still asking them to respect the space and life you shared together.”
Positioned as the opening chapter of UHAMBO, “HAMBA” establishes the emotional foundation for an album shaped by movement, growth and the different stages of life. Rather than remaining within one sonic lane, the project embraces the unpredictability of a journey, moving through different sounds while reflecting the experiences that have shaped MUSA into the artist he has become. “It’s a journey, it takes you wherever you want to go, because the album doesn’t sound the same,” he explains. The result is a project that allows MUSA to explore new dimensions of his artistry while remaining grounded in the soulful identity and emotional storytelling that have defined his career.
Sonically, “HAMBA” draws from the richness of old-school soul while incorporating touches of blues, creating a soundscape that gives MUSA’S voice room to command the record. The song does not attempt to reinvent the artist, but instead strengthens the qualities that have made his music resonate across generations. It is a continuation of his creative journey, with MUSA describing the single as a natural extension of the work he has already established rather than a departure from his sound.
That honesty extends to the message MUSA hopes audiences take from the record. At its heart, “Hamba” encourages listeners to examine where they stand within their own relationships and how they treat the people around them. “I’m hoping people get to be more honest about where they are about their relationships and how they treat them,” says MUSA. The song therefore becomes more than a reflection on separation, it is an invitation to confront difficult truths, communicate with greater honesty and recognize that some endings require as much respect as the beginnings that came before them.
The single leads into an album that represents a more mature stage of MUSA’s artistry. UHAMBO, blends Afro-pop and soul, moving through different sounds while remaining connected by its themes of love, relationships and personal growth. “It’s more grown, and it tells the different journeys I’ve travelled to get to where I am now,” MUSA says. The album took approximately six to seven months to complete and introduced him to a different creative process through working with various people on songwriting, allowing the project to develop through collaboration while retaining MUSA’s distinct artistic voice.
As MUSA prepares to release UHAMBO on 23 September 2026, “HAMBA” arrives as both an introduction and a declaration. It sets the tone for a project that moves through the complexities of love, relationships, growth and personal evolution, while his partnership with David Gresham Records provides a global platform for the next stage of that journey. With a voice that has carried him through more than a decade of music and a catalogue that continues to expand, MUSA is not simply revisiting the journey that brought him here. He is stepping into its next chapter with greater clarity, maturity and authority.
CONNECT WITH MUSA:
Instagram: @MUSA
Facebook: MUSA
X: @MUSA
CONNECT WITH DAVID GRESHAM RECORDS:
Instagram: @DAVIDGRESHAMRECORDS
Facebook: DAVID GRESHAM ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
ABOUT MUSA:
MUSA is a South African singer, songwriter and producer whose powerful voice, soulful artistry and emotionally driven storytelling have established him as a respected figure in South African music. Hailing from Witbank, Mpumalanga, MUSA rose to national prominence after winning Idols SA in 2013. He has since released four studio albums and earned a SATMA Award alongside nominations at the South African Music Awards and Metro FM Awards. Through his music and collaborations, MUSA remains committed to themes of love, human connection and lived experience, continuing to evolve his sound while staying rooted in the soulful identity that has defined his career.
ABOUT DAVID GRESHAM RECORDS:
The David Gresham Record Company (DGR) is a South African independent record label based in Johannesburg, established in 1970 by legendary radio and television personality David Gresham, originally as a publishing company. Over 56 years of independent success, DGR has built a distinguished legacy representing some of South Africa’s leading artists, including Prime Circle, Jesse Clegg, Connell Cruise, Slikour, Bantu Soul and Nutty Nys, while also working with internationally recognised artists such as Janet Jackson, Nickelback and Tiësto. With a wholly owned studio complex in Woodmead, DGR remains committed to investing in South African talent through recording, distribution and marketing, while providing artists with the infrastructure and international reach to take their music to audiences beyond the country. Today, DGR distributes music across more than 220 markets and over 300 digital stores worldwide, continuing its longstanding mission of connecting exceptional African talent with the global music industry.