Apple Music today announced the latest featured artist in its Africa Rising artist development program is Nkosazana Daughter, an Amapiano singer-songwriter hailing from KwaZulu-Natal.

“I am over the moon to be the cover star of Africa Rising for my debut album that’s just dropped! Thank you to Apple Music and to all of you beautiful people listening. Life is changing,” she tells Apple Music. 

Having established herself as one of the premiere voices of Amapiano, Nkosazana Daughter built her household name by featuring on numerous smash hit singles, namely Wanitwa Mos & Master KG’s Dali Nguwe, “Sofa Silahlane”, Kabza de Small’s “iSoka”, Lowsheen’s “Thula”, and DJ Givy Baby’s “Nomathemba”, and racking up millions of streams in the process. 

Her debut album Uthingo Le Nkosazana(2023), available to stream on Apple Music in Spatial Audio now, is a 14-track journey through Amapiano’s various moods and grooves, showcasing her uniquely engaging talent and backed by an  all-star Amapiano supporting cast of features and producers that includes Master KG, Kabza de Small, DJ Maphorisa, Chronical Deep, Tyler ICU, Major League DJz, Makhadzi, Young Jonn and many more. 

Meaning “rainbow daughter” in Xhosa, the album title, Uthingo Le Nkosazana, refers directly to Nkosazana Daughter being the only female amongst six brothers in her family, while the lyrical content deals with life and love and her deep connection to her traditional roots.  

The latest music from Nkosazana Daughter along with that of Africa’s hottest new artists, is available now on the Apple Music Africa Rising Playlist.

Discover Africa Rising here: applemusic.com/africarising

Apple Music’s Africa Rising is an exclusive artist development programme and companion playlist geared towards identifying, showcasing and elevating rising talent and introducing the next generation of African superstars. Africa Rising alumni to date include Omah Lay, Manu Worldstar, Tems, Amaarae, Ayra Starr, Yaw Tog, Blxckie and Nikita Kering. Africa Rising sees Apple Music select six artists every year who each receive a minimum of two months of editorial support across the Apple Music platform including a launch interview with Nadeska on Apple Music 1. Nadeska has also launched a new weekly Africa Rising feature on her show highlighting the hottest new artists on the continent.

Africa Rising is the latest of many Apple Music initiatives aimed at taking African talent to the world. Now available in 33 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, Apple Music 1 is home to Africa Now Radio with host LootLove which has featured interviews with some of the continent’s hottest artists such as Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Cassper Nyovest, Mr Eazi, Patoranking, Rayvanny, Kiddominant, Mayorkun, Fireboy DML, Adekunle Gold, Master KG, Yaw Tog, Blxckie, Nikita Kering, Buju, FAVE, Nomfundo Moh and Moliy.   

Apple Music also selected Nigerian Afrobeats singer-songwriter Tems as its Up Next artist in 2021, Nigerian Afropop star Rema in 2020, Grammy Award-winning Afrofusion superstar Burna Boy in 2019, and Nigerian singer and entrepreneur Mr Eazi as the first recipient in 2017. Up Next is Apple Music’s global emerging artist program.

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