Africa-Press – Eswatini. “Uniting Africa through Music” on the 3rd edition of MTN Bushfire’s cross-cultural and cross-genre music collaboration project, CollaboNation, are Madala Kunene x Sibusile Xaba x Madala Kunene with the newly released song, Elukhalweni!
Supported by MTN and produced by Bushfire Records, the 2025 CollaboNation song, Elukhalweni (which means “Mountain Horizon” in Siswati) is now available on all major digital streaming platforms.
Follow the creative journey behind the making of Elukhalweni and immerse in the artists’ personal reflections and authentic ideas conveyed dynamically through video reels on CollaboNation’s social media pages. Be sure to look out for the release of the official Studio Documentary tomorrow, filmed at the home of the MTN Bushfire festival, House On Fire, and during the studio session in Eswatini.
An outcome of MTN Bushfire’s arts development initiatives guided by its clarion call to action for positive social and environmental change, Bring Your Fire, CollaboNation connects and unites the continent annually through a series of unique music collaborations. This dynamic project supports the weaving together of Africa’s rich cultures and diverse musical genres and building linkages between cultural industries and networks.
Elukhalweni is a deeply soulful and spiritual song composed by the “King of Zulu Guitar”, South Africa’s Doctor Madala Kunene, South African guitar savant and cultural activist, Sibusile Xaba and “The Groove Master” and celebrated percussionist, Tlale Makhene.
These seasoned musicians unite their shared passion for African storytelling, distinct musical styles, and remarkable talents in a powerful celebration of African spirituality and traditional wisdom. Elukhalweni – produced by Swati producer, sound engineer, and musician ZiyawakaZitha – was created at this year’s CollaboNation host country, Eswatini, during the artists’ first meeting. Rooted in Southern Africa’s rich sonic heritage, the track blends organic African sounds with expressive guitar melodies and textured rhythms. Stream it now and embark on a audio journey that evokes a deep sense of place and identity.
Be sure to follow this inspiring and unique collaborative journey by simply following “CollaboNation” on Facebook and Instagram, and @CollaboNation_ on Twitter. You can also subscribe to the CollaboNation channel on YouTube.
For more information, check out the CollaboNation section on the MTN Bushfire website: www.bush-fire.com/collabonation
MEET THE 2025 COLLABONATION ARTISTS
DR MADALA KUNENE
Conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Music by the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Dr Madala Kunene is recognised for his lifelong and ongoing contribution to the development of indigenous music and to the music of Africa and that of the world. Born in 1947 in Mkhumbane (Cato Manor), a vibrant mixed community just outside of inner Durban, Kunene reflects his environment, and his music acts as an urban war cry. “Music is the best medium to record and tell history. As African people, the way we know and understand our past is very influenced by music,” Kunene says.
SIBUSILE XABA
Charismatic South African guitar savant and cultural activist, Sibusile Xaba, reframes Maskandi and the Avant Garde into his own humanist manifesto, and a focus on healing the soul and body by living as one with Mother Earth. With a vocal style that is part dreamscaping and part ancestral invocation, Xaba divines as opposed to plainly singing. Combined with a guitar style that is rooted in expressive picking, Xaba’s music shatters the confines of genre, imbuing his music with a mythology and improvisational intensity all on his own.
TLALE MAKHENE
Tlale Makhene started drumming at a young age in Eswatini, inspired by the rhythms of his traditional healer grandmother. He has released two albums: “Ascension of the Enlightened,” which won the MTN SAMA Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album in 2005, and “Swazi Gold”, reflecting his musical roots and influences. Tlale has performed on stages worldwide, and collaborated with several international artists, performing with the Copenhagen Rhythmic Conservatory Big Band, as well as working with notable artists like Johnny Clegg, Miriam Makeba, and Hugh Masekela.
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