BY NELIWE NGUBANE (INTERN)
MALKERNS – Eswatini’s fast-rising genre-fluid artist Ace Julz is continuing his impressive rise in the music industry after attending the African Rising Music Conference (ARMC), a prestigious gathering that united more than 1 000 artists, creatives, executives and innovators from over 15 countries for two days of networking, collaboration and future-focused conversations.
The multi-talented rapper, singer, songwriter and producer, whose real name is Andzile Mabuza, said the conference exposed him to valuable international industry knowledge while allowing him to connect with influential figures shaping African music.
Ace Julz engaged in discussions surrounding community building, preservation of traditional music, artificial intelligence in the creative industries, artist development, mental health, rights and revenues, as well as audience building on Meta platforms.
The musician also had the opportunity to network with respected industry leaders and artists including Yati Khumalo from Billboard Africa, Nick from MixMag, Tswyza from The Tswyza Show, Rouge, Elaine, Khanyisa, Tamara Day, Vini Mercy and Uganda’s Matt Travers.
“ARMC opened my eyes to the importance of collaboration and building authentic relationships within the music industry. Meeting international creatives and hearing different perspectives motivated me to push my craft even further,” said Ace Julz.
The artist, who boasts over 20 000 followers across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, together with more than 500 000 views across YouTube and social media platforms, has steadily positioned himself as one of Eswatini’s most promising young talents.
He first gained national attention after his standout performance at the MTN Bushfire Firefly Grand Finale in 2025, where he secured a Top 3 finish. Since then, he has earned opportunities through the Black Coffee Foundation and received airplay on major stations including Metro FM and 5FM.
Ace Julz is now preparing to perform at the EU Bushfire High School Festival on Thursday before taking to the Bring Your Fire Zone Stage during the main MTN Bushfire Festival event on Saturday.
“I am excited to represent Eswatini on such important stages and continue sharing my story through music,” he said.
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