The six-track project brings Maskandi storytelling into conversation with contemporary Afro-Pop, featuring Shwi Mantombazane, Anzo and more
Johannesburg, South Africa, 18 September 2026 -South African singer-songwriter Nue_Sam steps into her own with uNingqayizivele, a soulful six-track project rooted in Maskandi and shaped by the freedom of contemporary Afro-Pop.
True to its title, uNingqayizivele — a word that speaks to being unique or one of a kind — finds Nue_Sam carving out a space that feels distinctly hers. Traditional guitar-led textures and the storytelling spirit of Maskandi sit alongside modern production, allowing the music to move comfortably between generations without losing sight of where it comes from.
Across six tracks, Nue_Sam turns her attention to the things that shape everyday life: love and relationships, ambition, hardship, celebration and the determination to keep moving. Her writing remains at the centre, using familiar experiences and emotion to tell stories that feel both deeply personal and immediately recognisable.
The project also brings Nue_Sam into conversation with voices from across South African music, including Shwi Mantombazane and Anzo, creating a meeting point between established tradition and a new generation of storytellers.
Focus track “Memeza” featuring Anzo captures that spirit particularly well. Nue_Sam and Anzo bring their voices together over a sound grounded in South African musical tradition, while leaving enough room for both artists’ individual character to come through.
With uNingqayizivele, Nue_Sam doesn’t treat tradition as something fixed in the past. Instead, she draws from it as a living language — one that can stretch, shift and find new expression while still carrying the stories, feeling and identity that have always made Maskandi resonate.
uNingqayizivele is out now. Stream here.