In celebration of her new album, “Features”, Apple Music announced vocalist, poet and storyteller Sio as the next Isgubhu cover star.
“Being chosen to share the music I make, regardless of the genre, and love, on such a massive platform, is deeply humbling and an incredible honour.
“I’m a massive fan of all the artists on this playlist and Apple Music for sharing it with the world”, said Sio, who is based in Joburg.
On “Features”, Sio examines all of the ways that her unique characteristics – her gender, physical attributes, background and class – have put her in unwillingly uncomfortable situations. It’s these situations that have inspired her art and informed the stories she tells on the album.
“I’m a storyteller, my songs say so … And I always find the story in everything I do. Africans are master storytellers and this playlist celebrates the richness of African sound in the new world.
“Coloured with rhythms, poetry and song it will give you something for the head, something for the heart, and most definitely something to move your feet,” she said.
Launched in February, Isgubhu styles itself as the definitive home of African dance and electronic music on Apple Music, and spotlights and elevates the work of African electronic DJs, producers and creatives.
Isgubhu, a Zulu word meaning beat and used to refer to a banging song, pays homage to an evergreen set of genres and the African artists who have played a pivotal role in shaping the dance and electronic scene across the world.
This month’s Isugbhu By… is curated by Coco Em: a DJ based in Nairobi.
She has performed on numerous stages such as the Boiler Room Nairobi, Beat Hotel Marrakech, Terra Negra Tunisia and Nyege Nyege fest Uganda. Her sound ranges from Afrohouse to kuduro, lingala, hip hop and EDM.
"Here is a list of some of my favourite albums. Some of these are a decade old and some, very recent releases such as Kabza De Small’s “I am the King of Amapiano”, a 27-song album that helped push through the days during the onset of the pandemic.
“It was also difficult to narrow down my favourites to a set of 13, because there is a lot more amazing music I like to play, especially kuduro from small independent musicians,” said Coco Em.