Award-winning rising star Ciza has reached another major milestone in his rapidly accelerating career after being announced as one of the featured acts at Hï Ibiza in Spain, one of the world’s most renowned electronic music venues.
According to the official Hï Ibiza programme, Ciza performed on Monday, 10 August, as part of Haitian DJ and producer Francis Mercier’s Solèy residency, sharing the Theatre stage with Oscar Mbo in a Ciza B2B Oscar Mbo set. The night also featured an international line-up that included Aya Nakamura and The Avener B2B Robin Tordjman.
For Ciza, whose real name is Nkululeko Nciza, the appearance represents a significant step in a journey that has seen him move from being a promising young South African artist to one of the country’s most exciting new global music exports.
Ciza first began making waves with songs including “Come Alive”, “Adje” and “Bank Notification”, establishing himself as a young Afrobeats and Afro-pop artist with a sound of his own. His early work also saw him collaborate with major names including DJ Maphorisa, Major League DJz, Abidoza and Tanzanian star Marioo.
However, it was his breakthrough hit “Isaka (6am)” that dramatically changed the trajectory of his career. The song became a cultural phenomenon, spreading from TikTok and South African radio into international audiences and turning Ciza into one of the most talked-about young names in African music. News24 described his rise as a global takeover following the song’s breakthrough on TikTok.
The momentum translated into major industry recognition. Ciza was among the artists selected for Apple Music’s Africa Rising Class of 2026, a programme designed to spotlight emerging African artists with the potential to make an even bigger impact globally.
His success has also been recognised at home. At the 2026 Metro FM Music Awards, Ciza took home both Best Male Artist and Artist of the Year, firmly establishing him as one of the biggest breakout stars in South African music.
What makes the Hï Ibiza moment even more significant is Ciza’s evolution beyond being simply a vocalist. He has increasingly incorporated DJing and electronic music into his performances, describing himself as a singer, DJ and entertainer. In a 2025 interview with TimesLIVE, he spoke openly about his ambition to take African music to major international festivals and ultimately become an international superstar and headliner.
That ambition is now becoming reality. Hï Ibiza is not simply another nightclub booking. The venue describes itself as a four-time number-one club in the world, and Mercier’s Solèy residency runs every Monday from 1 June to 5 October 2026, bringing together Afro house, Latin house, deep house and international sounds. The residency has positioned African music and its global influence at the centre of one of Ibiza’s biggest weekly nightlife experiences.
The scale of the August 10 line-up also puts Ciza’s achievement into perspective. Sharing a bill with internationally established performers while going B2B with Oscar Mbo gives the young South African artist an opportunity to introduce his sound to an international audience in one of the world’s most influential clubbing destinations.
It is a particularly powerful moment for an artist who has spoken about wanting to carry African sounds beyond the continent. From his early releases and collaborations to the explosive success of “Isaka (6am)”, major award wins, Apple Music recognition and now a high-profile Ibiza appearance, Ciza’s career is moving at remarkable speed.
The Hï Ibiza booking may therefore be more than just another performance date. It is a sign that Ciza’s long-held ambition of becoming a global representative of South African music is beginning to take shape, and that the young artist who once introduced himself through local hits is increasingly finding himself on some of the biggest international stages.
