SIBU MANZINI, BHOLOJA AND THANDO MAGIC’S ‘MEMETA’ SET TO DROP

BY NELIWE NGUBANE

MBABANE — A spontaneous freestyle has grown into a soulful musical collaboration as Eswatini producer and DJ Sibu Manzini joins forces with veteran singer-songwriter Bholoja and keyboardist Thando Magic for their new single, “Memeta,” set for release this Friday, 21 August, through Xpressed Records.

The track, which comes in both an Original Mix and Club Mix, was born from a performance where Bholoja freestyled over music being played by Sibu, repeatedly using the lyric “Memeta.” The moment resonated with the artists and eventually became the foundation for the new release.

For Sibu, “Memeta” carries a message of perseverance and hope.

“The message behind ‘Memeta’ is about never stopping believing. Life can be difficult sometimes, but as long as you hold on to your belief and hope that things will eventually work out, you can keep moving forward,” said Sibu.

The Afro House producer, formerly known as Parcel SWZ, has built his sound around electronic music and Afro House, with a career that has included collaborations with artists locally and internationally.

Meanwhile, Bholoja, born Mbongiseni Ngubane, is one of Eswatini’s recognised contemporary musicians and is widely associated with “Swazi Soul”, a fusion of soul, gospel, jazz, blues and traditional African rhythms. His debut album Swazi Soul helped take his music beyond Eswatini.

The collaboration was made possible through Sibu’s longstanding admiration and friendship with Bholoja, while Thando Magic entered the picture through their shared connection. Sibu was drawn to Thando’s mature keyboard playing, which became an important part of the song’s organic sound.

Sibu handled the production, composition, engineering, recording and mixing, while Bholoja brought the vocals and Thando added live keys.

The Original Mix leans into the song’s soulful and intimate character, while the Club Mix delivers a harder, groovier sound aimed at the dancefloor.

With both versions dropping on 21 August, “Memeta” is set to introduce listeners to a collaboration built on friendship, musical chemistry and a simple message: keep believing.