MBABANE – Award-winning Eswatini music producer and songwriter Bongmenti Kevin Mkhonta, professionally known as LIVIN SZ, is taking his sound beyond the country’s borders through a collaboration with South African singer Simmy.
LIVIN SZ is working with the South African vocalist on one of the upcoming singles from her new album, creating a cross-border musical partnership that highlights the shared sounds and emotions of Southern Africa.
For Simmy, the collaboration offered an opportunity to step outside her usual creative space while exploring a different sonic approach.
Speaking about working with the Eswatini-based producer, Simmy said the experience exposed her to a different perspective while remaining familiar because of the musical similarities shared across Southern Africa.
“I really enjoyed that collaboration because it allowed me to step outside of what I’m used to,” Simmy said.
She added that Africa is home to vast musical talent, but artists can sometimes remain within their own creative spaces without recognising the opportunities that come from learning from one another.
According to the singer, working with LIVIN SZ encouraged experimentation and allowed her to approach the song differently.
“Sonically it allowed me to experiment a little more and approach the song differently,” she said.
Simmy’s musical identity has been shaped by a wide range of influences. Growing up, she drew inspiration from legendary South African acts such as Brenda Fassie and the Soul Brothers, while also developing an appreciation for ambient and electronic sounds associated with artists such as Enya and Avicii.
Today, however, she says she feels less restricted by particular genres and is more interested in the emotion that a sound creates.
This approach appears to have found common ground with LIVIN SZ’s production, creating a collaboration that connects artists from two neighbouring countries.
Simmy said the experience reinforced her belief that music can transcend geographical boundaries.
“It reminded me that music doesn’t really need borders. You can come from different places and still understand the same emotion,” she said.
For LIVIN SZ, the collaboration represents another opportunity for Eswatini’s creative talent to be heard on a broader African platform.
The upcoming single is expected to showcase the strength of cross-border collaborations while placing Eswatini’s production talent alongside established South African artistry.
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