Entertainer Anele Zondo is entering a new chapter in her music career with the release of her latest single, Royalty, arriving at a significant moment following her recent recognition at the Basadi in Music Awards.
The release comes after Zondo was honoured with the Basadi in Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Artist, adding another milestone to a career that has seen her move across music, television, acting, fashion and entertainment.
A new chapter in music
For Zondo, Royalty represents more than another music release. The song reflects a period of personal and creative growth, with the entertainer describing it as a declaration of self-belief, purpose and ambition.
“Royalty is more than just a song. It is a praise of self, a praise of purpose, and a declaration — a moment of recognising that I am ready to ascend and take my place on my throne.
“The sound is different from what I’ve done before, but that evolution is intentional. As a multi-hyphenate creative, I’ve never wanted to be confined to one box, one genre, one identity, or one audience. I want my art to transcend genre, race and borders.
“Royalty represents that freedom.
“It is about stepping into a new level of self-belief and understanding that the throne isn’t something you wait to be given — it is something you recognise within yourself.
“This offering is bigger than music. It is a reflection of where I am creatively, spiritually and personally: ascending, expanding and becoming.
“Royalty is my declaration that I know who I am, I know what I carry, and I am ready to sit in it,” says Zondo.
A fitting Heritage Month release
The single arrives during South Africa’s Heritage Month and ahead of Heritage Day on 24 September, a period that places renewed focus on the country’s cultures, traditions, histories and identities.
Against that backdrop, the message behind Royalty speaks to themes of identity and pride, encouraging listeners to embrace who they are, acknowledge where they come from and recognise the person they are becoming.
The timing also adds another layer to Zondo’s latest musical offering as she continues to build an identity that extends beyond her work as a television and radio personality.
From television to music
Zondo has established herself as one of the recognisable multi-hyphenate personalities in South African entertainment, working across television, music, acting, fashion and popular culture.
Her career has been built around her ability to move between different areas of the entertainment industry, while maintaining a strong public presence. Her work as a presenter and television personality has placed her in front of audiences across different platforms, while her music career has given her an opportunity to explore another side of her creativity.
Rather than treating music as a departure from her entertainment career, Zondo has increasingly positioned herself as an artist in her own right, developing a catalogue and sound that allow her to explore different genres and creative identities.
Her recent Basadi in Music Award win further marked her progress in the music space, while her continued television and radio presence has kept her connected to the wider South African entertainment landscape.
Entering the ‘Royalty’ era
With the award win behind her and a new single now available, Zondo enters what she describes as a period of “ascending, expanding and becoming”.
Royalty therefore arrives not simply as a new song, but as a statement about the direction she wants to take creatively.
The single is now available on all major digital streaming platforms.
