Industry Nites Spotlights Zee Nxumalo at Makubenjalo — And the Next Generation Is Invited
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- June 22, 2026
Some platforms talk about the next generation. Industry Nites puts them in the room. The monthly series that has quickly established itself as one of Johannesburg’s most purposeful music industry gatherings returns to Makubenjalo in Soweto on Thursday 25 June 2026 — and this edition is doing something special. It is dedicating the evening to the blueprint of Zee Nxumalo: the Alexandra-raised Amapiano and 3-Step singer who, in under four years, went from high school rapper to the most-streamed female artist in South Africa. Industry Nites Zee Nxumalo edition is the conversation the country’s emerging creatives have been waiting to be part of — and guestlist applications are now open to young people working in music, production, marketing, PR, and entertainment law.
What Industry Nites Is — And Why the Zee Nxumalo Edition Matters
Industry Nites launched in April 2026 with a maiden edition at Vibes on Main, bringing together artists, producers, label representatives, managers, and emerging talent under one roof for a format built around celebration, practical knowledge-sharing, and genuine connection. Edition two followed at Makubenjalo, spotlighting Shaun 101. Now, in its third month, the platform turns its lens on one of the most compelling stories in contemporary South African music.
The choice of Zee Nxumalo as the subject for this edition of Industry Nites is not coincidental. Her journey carries the kind of lessons that cannot be learned from a textbook or a masterclass slide deck — lessons about pivoting between genres, building a sound from instinct, navigating independent artistry, converting viral moments into sustainable career moves, and showing up with the work ethic required to stay at the top. As Briefly News documented, Zee’s manager Shingai Darangwa has been clear: her rise was never accidental. It was the product of “an unbelievable work ethic” — and that is exactly the kind of story Industry Nites was built to share.
“Industry Nites exists to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity. Zee Nxumalo’s story shows what’s possible when you own your sound and move with discipline. We want young creatives in the room to hear it firsthand and start building their own paths.” — Tshiamo Raphalane, representing the brands behind Industry Nites
Zee Nxumalo’s Blueprint — The Story Industry Nites Will Unpack
To appreciate why the Industry Nites Zee Nxumalo edition carries such weight, you need to know the arc. Zandile Nxumalo grew up in Alexandra, Johannesburg, and began her creative life as a rapper — not an amapiano artist. The pivot happened because of the market, not the plan. As she told Drum magazine in a candid interview: “Amapiano chose me, and I didn’t choose this genre. I didn’t like it. My first love was Afro-Pop, and I did Amapiano because of the market, and my biggest hit comes from the genre.” That kind of honesty about the relationship between artistic identity and commercial reality is precisely what emerging creatives need to hear.
Her breakthrough came with “Funk 55” in 2023 — a collaboration with Shakes & Les, DBN Gogo, Ceeka RSA, and Chley that debuted at No.2 on the Local Streaming Chart and was certified 5× Platinum in South Africa. It was, by any measure, a summer anthem. But the record that revealed her longer-term potential was “Ama Gear” with Dlala Thukzin and Funky QLA — a track she has credited to a recording session where Thukzin helped her trust her own instincts. As she reflected in an IOL interview: “Working around him taught me to trust my instincts more and to take my sound seriously. He really helped me see the power in being confident about what I bring to the table.”
Her breakthrough came with “Funk 55” in 2023 — a collaboration with Shakes & Les, DBN Gogo, Ceeka RSA, and Chley that debuted at No.2 on the Local Streaming Chart and was certified 5× Platinum in South Africa. It was, by any measure, a summer anthem. But the record that revealed her longer-term potential was “Ama Gear” with Dlala Thukzin and Funky QLA — a track she has credited to a recording session where Thukzin helped her trust her own instincts. As she reflected in an IOL interview: “Working around him taught me to trust my instincts more and to take my sound seriously. He really helped me see the power in being confident about what I bring to the table.”
From Alexandra to Apple Music — The Milestones Behind Industry Nites Zee Nxumalo
The statistics around Zee Nxumalo’s 2025 are genuinely staggering. She was named the most-streamed female artist in South Africa on Spotify for 2025 — a title that placed her above global names including Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and SZA in her home market. She amassed 181 million YouTube views for the year, making her YouTube South Africa’s most-viewed female artist. As Briefly News reported, she also released “Mamma” — a track that went viral within a month, whose music video she partly crowd-funded through fan support and fully recouped before the premiere.
Beyond the streaming figures, 2025 brought a series of partnerships that reveal the breadth of her crossover appeal. She was named Spotify’s EQUAL Africa Ambassador, joined Apple Music’s Up Next programme alongside global names like Tems, Giveon, and Burna Boy, signed as a PUMA brand ambassador, and collaborated with Nickelodeon Africa on a reimagined SpongeBob theme song performed at the Kids’ Choice Awards. Her first European tour — covering England, Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands — proved that the appetite for her sound extends well beyond the continent.
These are not the achievements of an artist riding a wave. They are the results of, as The Yanos Magazine put it, someone who has become intentional about her career: “There’s no longer time to spare for things that don’t make sense.”
What to Expect on the Night — The Industry Nites Zee Nxumalo Agenda
The Industry Nites Zee Nxumalo edition at Makubenjalo is structured around four themes, each chosen because of how directly they connect to the questions young creatives are asking right now:
The journey — how Zee built her sound and brand, and what the transition from rapper to amapiano and 3-Step vocal powerhouse actually looked like from the inside. This is the story behind the story: the sessions with Dlala Thukzin, the decision to trust the market, the creative process she describes as freestyling directly to the beat.
The business — what it takes to convert a viral moment into a sustainable career. Streaming, branding, publishing, and ownership are all on the table — including what she has learned as an independent artist managing everything from visuals to studio time to travel costs herself. “It’s not easy, but it’s worth it,” she said in an IOL interview.
The culture — how women are reshaping amapiano, and why the next generation has a responsibility to protect and evolve the sound. Zee has four Basadi in Music Award nominations, was the youngest panellist ever on the Roast of Pearl Thusi, and has spoken openly about the additional scrutiny women face in opinion-based industries.
Networking — direct access to artists, producers, managers, label representatives, PR professionals, and legal advisors working in the industry today. This is the core of what Industry Nites was built for: not just inspiration, but connection.
HOW LOCAL EVENTS CONTINUE TO SHAPE SOUTH AFRICA’S BIGGEST MUSIC GENRE, AMAPIANO.
Event Details — Industry Nites Zee Nxumalo at Makubenjalo
📅 Date: Thursday, 25 June 2026
📍 Venue: Makubenjalo, Soweto, Johannesburg
🕕 Time: 18:00 for 18:30 start
🔁 Frequency: Every last Thursday of the month
🎟 Entry: Invite only. Young creatives in music, production, marketing, PR, or entertainment law are encouraged to apply for guestlist access. Spaces are limited.
🎟 Entry: Invite only. Young creatives in music, production, marketing, PR, or entertainment law are encouraged to apply for guestlist access. Spaces are limited.
