SIBU Manzini has joined forces with veteran musician Bholoja on ‘Memeta’, a two-track EP released today featuring two versions of the same song.
The project presents ‘Memeta’ in an Original version and a Club version, bringing together Manzini’s Afro House and Afro Melodic sound with Bholoja’s distinctive storytelling and musical experience.
For Manzini, the collaboration was a natural meeting of two different musical worlds.
“I’ve always respected Bholoja as an artist and what he has contributed to Eswatini’s music,” he said.
“I wanted to create something that brought my sound together with his, while still keeping the music true to who we are.”
Manzini said the collaboration was also an opportunity to learn from an artist he has long admired.
“It means a lot to me because Bholoja is an artist I’ve looked up to for a long time,” he said.
He added that they did not try to impose their individual styles on each other, instead allowing the music to guide the process.
On ‘Memeta’, listeners can expect an Afro House sound with melodic and soulful elements, while the song explores life, difficult moments and perseverance.
Manzini said the Original version was particularly challenging because he wanted to balance the vocals, melodies and production without losing the emotion of the song.
The Club version, meanwhile, allowed him to push the energy and make the track more suited to the dancefloor.
Bholoja’s contribution, Manzini said, brought another dimension to the record through his voice and approach to storytelling.
“What stood out for me was how naturally everything came together,” he said.
Looking beyond the release, Manzini hopes ‘Memeta’ introduces new listeners to his evolving sound while establishing the direction of his artistry.
The musician said he plans to continue releasing music, collaborating with other artists and developing bigger ideas around his live performances.
“There is a lot more music coming, so ‘Memeta’ is definitely not the end of the story,” he said.
