BY NELIWE NGUBANE
MBABANE— A father’s voice may fall silent, but the lessons, memories and pieces of him left behind can continue speaking through generations.
That is the emotional space Eswatini multi-award-winning artist Young Zesh and South African musician Aubrey Qwana explore in their upcoming collaboration Ubaba, a soulful tribute to fathers and loved ones who have passed away.
Set for release on October 2, 2026, the single turns personal grief into a message of love, remembrance and appreciation, encouraging listeners to value their parents and loved ones while they still have the chance.
For Young Zesh, born Mzwandile Comfort Ginindza and originally from Somnjalose, Eswatini, the story is deeply personal.
The rising star, who splits his time between Eswatini and Johannesburg, South Africa, has built his name through a sound that blends Afro-pop, hip-hop and Swati cultural influences.
His musical journey gained wider attention around 2021 with his breakout single Kakhoza, which earned him a Best Newcomer nomination at the MTN SWAMA Awards. He has since released songs including Ungangikhaleli, Boludvonga and Senibeketele, while receiving six nominations at the 2024 National Arts Awards.
His performances before Their Majesties and his collaboration with Princess Buhlebetive on the cultural hip-hop track Giya have also placed him in spaces where music and Eswatini culture intersect.
Now, however, Young Zesh is taking listeners into a much more intimate chapter of his story.
Ubaba, meaning ‘Father’, draws from the pain of losing his own father before he could accomplish everything he had hoped to do for him.
The inspiration came from a reality many people know too well hearing that they have their father’s face, mannerisms or personality, yet having no opportunity for that father to witness the person they have become.
“‘Ubaba’, meaning ‘Father,’ is a very personal and emotional song for me and Aubrey Qwana,” Young Zesh said.
The song also reflects on the emptiness created at home after a father dies, particularly the loneliness experienced by a mother who loses her partner.
But Young Zesh does not want the song to remain solely about his loss.
He has positioned Ubaba as a tribute for anyone who has lost a father, parent or someone who played a fatherly role in their life.
“Sometimes we wait until someone is gone before we realise how much they meant to us,” he said.
That message gains another layer through the presence of Aubrey Qwana, an artist whose own musical identity has been shaped by emotional storytelling.
Qwana has carved out a distinctive place in South African music through a fusion of Maskandi, Mbaqanga, AmaZion, hip-hop and R&B. Beyond performing, he is also known for his work as a producer, arranger and designer.
His catalogue and collaborations have connected him with artists including Sho Madjozi, Emtee, Stilo Magolide, DJ Tira, Major League and Makwa Beats.
It is this ability to move between different sounds and emotional spaces that Young Zesh believes made Qwana a natural fit for Ubaba.
“He is an artist I respect because of the honesty and emotion he brings into his music,” Young Zesh said.
Rather than creating a collaboration built simply around two recognised names, Young Zesh said the pair focused on the story behind the record.
“We were not simply trying to make a song together; we were trying to tell a story that people could connect with,” he said.
Their different musical backgrounds meet through a blend of Afro-pop, contemporary African sounds and soulful elements, with the production designed to give the vocals and lyrics enough room to carry the emotional weight.
The song was recorded at ShowThemFlames in Sandton, South Africa, with production handled by Nkululeko Sithole and Stanley Khoza from ShowThemFlames, while Sean Cast HQ handled the mixing and mastering.
For Young Zesh, the recording process was emotional but meaningful. He said he wanted the record to feel genuine rather than manufactured, allowing the subject matter to guide the sound.
Beyond the grief, Ubaba ultimately looks at what remains after someone is gone.
Memories become photographs in the mind. Lessons become part of character. Sacrifices become stories passed down. And the people who have left the physical world can continue to influence those they loved.
“‘Ubaba’ is our way of saying: we remember you, we miss you, and everything you taught us continues to live through us,” Young Zesh said.
As the October 2 release approaches, the collaboration carries a message that extends beyond music: tell your parents you love them, appreciate their sacrifices and make time for the people who matter before memories are all that remain.
For Young Zesh, Ubaba is therefore not just a new song.
It is a letter to fathers who are no longer here, a comfort to those carrying their absence and a reminder to those who still have their parents beside them.
“This is bigger than just a release for me. It is a tribute to our fathers, our parents and the memories they leave behind,” he said.
#YoungZesh #AubreyQwana #Ubaba #EswatiniMusic #SwaziMusic #SouthAfricanMusic #NewMusic #AfroPop #Maskandi #AfricanMusic #MusicRelease #EPN
(Courtesy Pic)
