Umafikizolo's 'Uyoncengwa Unyoko' takes the lead with 14 million Spotify streams

The summer music releases have the race for song of the year, heating up. Musician Umafikizolo's highly successful song "Uyocengwa Ngunyoko" is a very strong contender to be the song many will be crossing over into 2026 with.

On Spotify the song has amassed 14 million streams and on Youtube the song has 18 million views, since its release three months ago.

The 24-year-old, Khethukuthula Mhlongo, from Mnambithi, KwaZulu-Natal is making waves with his EP, “Uyocengwa Ngunyoko” which was released in July.

The Maskandi star’s song is not only successful on streaming platforms but also on the radio charts, with fans loving the song that beautifully blends Zulu traditional storytelling with modern sounds.

At this year’s South African Music Awards (Samas), Umafikizolo is nominated for Best Maskandi Album, alongside Khuzani, Imithente, Phuzekhemisi, and Ntencane.

“Uyocengwa Ngunyoko” has also been extremely successful on TikTok, with young people posting videos featuring its catchy beats.

Maskandi is believed to have originated in the early to mid-20th century in the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal, primarily among Zulu migrant workers who travelled to urban centres like Durban and Johannesburg in search of work.

Since then, the genre has evolved with each generation and remains one of the biggest and most influential music styles in South Africa. 

According to Spotify, "Nearly half of Maskandi’s listeners are under 35, and many are gravitating to our Bhinca Nation playlist, which is the destination for the genre’s hottest hits. Averaging more than two million plays each month, the playlist has grown by more than 3,000% since 2022".

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