BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
MBABANE— Eswatini-born music sensation Zandile Nxumalo, professionally known as Zee Nxumalo, has officially cemented her status as a continental powerhouse, breaking records to become the only female artist to secure a spot in the Top 10 overall most-streamed artists in South Africa for 2025.
The 22-year-old star shared the monumental milestone with her fans through a heartfelt social media post following the release of the 2025 Spotify Wrapped statistics. Zee Nxumalo’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric, amassing an incredible 101 million streams across 183 countries worldwide over the past year.
Her dominance was further solidified on the awards circuit. In August 2025, she was crowned the “Sofnfree Artist of the Year” at the prestigious Basadi in Music Awards, held at the Joburg Theatre. This was followed by a win at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards in November 2025, where she bagged the “Editor’s Award” for her creative impact and influence.
Adding to her list of historic achievements, Zee Nxumalo was unveiled as the cover star for the December 2025 – January 2026 festive issue of Glamour South Africa. Under the headline “All Eyes on Her,” the magazine described the Eswatini-born talent as the definitive “Voice of the Moment.” Taking to Instagram to share the high-fashion editorial, she simply captioned it: “She’s on a front cover of a magazine,” igniting a wave of celebration from industry peers and fans alike.
Her journey from Eswatini to becoming a celebrated “Jozi Baby” in Johannesburg is a testament to her immense talent. Her breakthrough began with the 2023 single ‘Pholile,’ but it was the 5x Platinum-certified ‘Funk 55’ and the chart-topping hit ‘Ngisakuthanda’ that truly catapulted her into the stratosphere.
As she enters 2026, Zandile Nxumalo is no longer just a rising star; she is a cultural icon representing the best of Eswatini on the world stage. Her story serves as a powerful reminder that with authenticity and relentless ambition, a girl from the Kingdom can indeed conquer the global charts.
#EPN #ZeeNxumalo #SpotifyWrapped2025 #EswatiniTalent #AmapianoQueen #GlamourSA #BasadiInMusic #JoziBaby #KingdomOfEswatini
(Courtesy Pic)
