Zakes Bantwini

"Zakhele Madida was born and raised in KwaMashu F-section in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. After matriculating, he went on to study at Natal Technikon (now known as Durban University of Technology) where he received a national certificate in Light Music. This is also where he formed his own record label called Mayonie Productions while completing his final year. Over the next two decades, Madida, known professionally as Zakes Bantwini, has gone on to establish himself in the dance music scene with a slew of singles and albums such as “Bum Bum”, “Wasting My Time”, “Clap Your Hands”, The Good Life, and Love, Light and Music. In 2013, Bantwini released the studio album The Fake Book and Real Book: My Music Bible and, the following year, the album was nominated in the Best Dance Album Category at the 20th SAMA Awards. Since “Osama” first went viral on South African Twitter in late 2021, it has become a global sensation. Bantwini has since performed in Portugal, Spain, Dubai, Qatar, and Bali. His subsequent single “Imali” and his magnum opus album “Ghetto King” have seen him bag a host of awards, including two South African Music Awards (SAMAs) for Highest Airplay and Best Collaboration. In an unprecedented culmination of this success, Bantwini recently won his first Grammy Award for “Bayethe”, his magnetic collaboration with Wouter Kellerman and Nomcebo Zikode."