He is nominated in the Remix of the Year

 category at the South African Music Awards for the song Tobetsa Remake with Myztro featuring Focalistic, Daliwonga, Shaunmusiq, and Ftears Stylish, hunky and talented are just some of the words one can use to describe Daliwonga Matiwane's existence in the South African pop culture and Amapiano music space. Music lovers are in for a treat as he is set to release a sonic voyage like no other with the release of his highly anticipated sophomore album titled, Dali Dali, today.

 

THE PROJECT

 

This release marks a thrilling milestone in the Soweto-born artist's career, a testament to his unwavering commitment to pushing his musical boundaries.Renowned for his unparalleled hit-making abilities, Daliwonga has a track record that reads like a musical fairy tale. This album is a collaborative masterpiece, featuring the likes of Murumba Pitch, Nkosazana Daughter, Tyla, Lee McKray, and many others that bring their unique flavour to the table. "Every collaboration has meaning, each melody reflects a time or place. Even the songs that are about having a good time, they have meaning, and each feature is well thought out," he says. He enlisted a dream team of producers, including the likes of Shaunmusiq, Ftears, Kabza De Small, Man Musiq, DJ Maphorisa, Myztro and more on his album. Their collective expertise breathe life into the album, making it an auditory feast.

 

INFLUENCE

 

Daliwonga grew up listening to a lot of Afro-Pop, RnB and a lot of artists from the US. "I also sang gospel. I was a leader in the church choir. That played a big role in my style and my personality," he told ZiMoja in a previous interview. 

 Before his breakthrough, his idea of stardom was just him being on stage and singing. "But it changed. I needed to understand the importance of discipline, focus and hard work. It's easy to get distracted by negativity. I always stay away from engaging in social media discussions. I like to keep my private life, exactly that, private."

 

LYRICS AND WRITING

 

Last year he caught fire on social media when he used the term "Re squeezing In, Re lokeleng" which was from a TikToker addressing entertainment Industry struggles, asking for people to open up the industry. The video clip went viral and was made a meme which Daliwonga used as inspiration for a song. He was later judged for "lack of creativity" and not crediting the originator. However, Daliwonga says his music is a reflection of the times and is greatly influenced by social media. "I have friends who have friends and we watch a lot of social media together," he says. "We pick up a lot of phrases on social media that we use in the music. Words like Kunkra (which he used in one of his songs) was from Major League, Dr Pepper,and Thulani," he says. "I never hid it from anyone that I took it from them. So, we adapt to the lingo and when we get in the studio there are sometimes influences. I am just a reflection of society."