Amapiano vocalist Babalwa M‘s debut album, Acquiesce, received a nomination in the Best Amapiano Album category at this year’s <a href="https://absafricatv.com/south-africa-urges-science-to-deliver-real/” title=”South Africa urges science to deliver real”>South African Music Awards (Sama’s) making her the first and only female artist nominated in this year’s category.
While celebrating that milestone, Babalwa’s latest single Bo Thatacontinues to enjoy strong streaming performance, currently sitting at No 35 on the Apple Music South Africa All Genres Chart and having gone double platinum.
Having come this far in her career, she reflects on some of the milestones she’s achieved.
“Honestly, it’s been a journey I never expected. Music was never the plan. I studied media and journalism and thought I’d end up working behind the scenes. During lockdown, I started making music for fun, without any real expectations,” Babalwa told TshisaLIVE.
“The response was so genuine that it gave me the confidence to keep going. Looking back now, it’s crazy to see how far it’s taken me, from recording songs at home to performing on big stages and achieving milestones I only dreamed about. I’m proud of how far I’ve come, but I still feel like there’s so much more to achieve. This is only the beginning.”
Here are 5 things to know about Babalwa M:
1. She initially wanted to work behind the camera, not in front of it.
She was training to be a journalist before music found her.
Babalwa M completed a Diploma in Media and Journalism in 2015 at Damelin and envisioned a career behind the scenes in media. It wasn’t until the Covid-19 lockdown that she fully embraced music, setting her on the path to becoming one of South Africa’s most celebrated Amapiano vocalists.
2. The start of an Amapiano journey
Raised in Protea Glen, Soweto, Babalwa had never planned to become a recording artist, despite singing in church and at community events growing up. While spending lockdown with producer Kelvin Momo, the pair began creating music together, leading to the release of “Feza” and their debut collaborative EP, Bayeke. What started as a lockdown hobby quickly evolved into a career that has established Babalwa M as one of Amapiano’s most distinctive voices.
Acquiesce earned Babalwa M her first-ever South African Music Award nomination in the Best Amapiano Album category at the 2026 Samas. In doing so, she became the first and only female artist nominated in this year’s category, a landmark achievement that reflects her remarkable rise from a lockdown discovery to one of Amapiano’s leading voices.
4. Her sound is shaped by more than Amapiano.
Babalwa credits Kwaito legends Mdu and Lebo Mathosa as some of her greatest musical inspirations. Their storytelling, stage presence and timeless artistry continue to influence her sound, which is why she has never been afraid to explore beyond Amapiano. From the emotive 3-Step textures of JAZZWRLD & Thukuthela to the Kwaito-infused Kwapi experiments with Stixx & Nvcho, her catalogue reflects an artist who continually pushes creative boundaries while celebrating South Africa’s rich musical heritage.
5. She’s the face behind SKYY Vodka’s newest flavour.
Beyond music, Babalwa M was chosen as the Face of Flavour for the launch of SKYY Vodka’s Strawberry Infusions, a partnership that reflects her growing influence across music, fashion and lifestyle culture.
