Samthing Soweto, born Samkelo Lelethu Mdolomba in 1988, grows up in Protea North, Soweto, and co-founds the a cappella group The Soil — unaccompanied singing chosen partly because instruments were beyond the members' means. He later fronts the nu-jazz band The Fridge before going solo, carrying a supple falsetto that moves easily between soul, vocal harmony and amapiano's log-drum pulse. His 2017 feature on Sun-El Musician's 'Akanamali' is the commercial breakthrough; 'Akulaleki' with Sha Sha tops Apple Music South Africa and is certified gold. The debut album Isphithiphithi (2019) goes platinum and wins Best Afro-Pop Album at the 26th South African Music Awards. After a long recording silence, he returns in July 2025 with Touch Is a Move: Good Morning, a concept album structured as a single day in 1990s Soweto, narrated by his five-year-old self.
Samthing Soweto sits in the artist layer of Viranova's knowledge graph — the timeline below tracks every story, interview, and event connected to it.
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SAMA32’s shortlist shows a South African music industry no longer defined by one centre. From Durban Gqom to Maskandi, Amapiano, Jazz, Gospel and regional scenes, the country’s sound is spreading power across many hubs.
