BY PHESHEYA IAN KUNENE
MANZINI – Slim-built, ever-smiling, and soft-spoken, she walks into the room with the kind of quiet confidence that makes you want to lean in and listen.
Her name is Siphokazi Tsabedze, but on stage she is known as Kasikazi, a rising afropop and hip-hop sensation determined to carve her name into Eswatini’s music history.
At just 15, Kasikazi discovered her voice. “I always loved music,” she recalled.
“It was more than a hobby for me. I wished to share my wisdom through songs, to encourage, advise and warn people about life’s realities.”
Five years later, the young artist has already shared stages with South African music heavyweights and performed at M Nation’s annual festival, a dream that many upcoming talents only whisper about.
The Sound of Kasikazi
Kasikazi’s sound is rooted in afropop and hip-hop, a blend she believes allows her to connect deeply with diverse audiences. “So long as the concert is open enough for people to relate, I can perform in any space,” she said with a laugh.
Her breakout moment, she admits, came not from the stage but from her phone.
“When I opened my TikTok account in January, I was shocked by the response,” she explained. “The followers just kept growing, and it showed me how much people really connect with my music.”
One of her favourite songs to perform is Tsatsa lentfo, a track that sounds like pure fun but carries a profound warning. “It tells people not to join dark forces just because of pressure to succeed,” she said. “At the end of the day, saving our souls is what matters most.”
The Struggles of an Upcoming Star
But behind the bright lights and applause are the struggles every emerging artist knows too well. “Sometimes I get booked as an upcoming artist and never get paid for my work,” she admitted.
“It’s discouraging, but I refuse to let it stop me. I believe in my craft.”
Kasikazi dreams of collaborating with South African rapper Emtee, whose music, she says, “builds, heals, teaches, and encourages.” And if she wasn’t singing? “I’d be doing poetry,” she laughed. “I really love playing with words.”
What’s Next
Kasikazi is also embracing change. She revealed she is rebranding and preparing to sign as a duo with fellow artist Yayah Mcucy. The two have already recorded four songs together, with one set to drop this October.
“Trust me, our collab is fire,” she said with a sparkle in her eye. “We’re ready to knock on international doors.”
For this Hhohho-born songstress, music is more than melodies and rhymes. It is her vehicle of truth, hope, and healing.
“I wish people would listen more to the message in my music and not just the rhymes and flows,” she said softly.
And if her journey so far is anything to go by, Kasikazi is not just knocking, she’s ready to kick open those doors and sing her way into the hearts of Africa and beyond.
(Courtesy Pics)
