Apple Music today announces Afro-Fusion songwriter and producer Jst Sako as the latest artist to be featured in its Up Next artist development program in South Africa.
“It’s truly humbling,” he tells Apple Music. “To stand in this moment, embraced by the very journey I surrendered to, is both overwhelming and affirming. It took a village, every soul who believed in and walked with me. And to be recognised by Apple Music only amplifies that truth.”
Born Ntsako Mhlanga, Jst Sako emerged from Daveyton, a township in the East Rand, with an early passion for music and performance, now coming to fruition on his debut album TUKA – a fourteen track musical odyssey of Afro-Fusion.
Written over the course of several years, TUKA is deeply personal, capturing Sako’s evolution not only as an artist but as a man navigating love, heartbreak, longing and renewal. And with a cast of collaborators who each bring their own depth to the project, including Manu WorldStar, Gemma Griffiths, Lolli Native, ReasonHD, KLY and Loki, this expansive yet intimate record offers pure sonic inspiration to fans alike.
“I poured my soul into creating this first album, every beat, every word, crafted for the people. Now, it’s only right I devote just as much heart to bringing it to them,” Sako tells Apple Music.
As the latest Up Next act to be spotlighted in South Africa, Jst Sako will be featured on Apple Music’s Up Next playlist https://apple.co/3eITdJd. The curated Up Next playlist features a dynamic class of new and emerging artists, thoughtfully hand-picked by Apple Music editors from around the world. The playlist is genre agnostic and represents a line-up of artists our global editors are passionate about and eager to expose to a larger audience.
The vast global Up Next roster of past talent includes Grammy-nominated and critically lauded talent like 6lack, Daniel Caesar, H.E.R., Greta Van Fleet, Khalid, Amy Shark, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Claudio, Sigrid, Mr Eazi, Stefflon Don, Bad Bunny, Juice WLRD, Bazzi, Jax Jones, NCT 127, Summer Walker, Tierra Whack, Dean Lewis, Pink Sweat$, Koffee, Megan Thee Stallion, Burna Boy, Clairo, Lunay, Jessie Reyez, Orville Peck, Victoria Monét, Ingrid Andress, Conan Gray, Don Toliver, Rema, BENEE, Holly Humberstone, Natanael Cano, Givēon, beabadoobee, Arlo Parks, Tate McRae, Foushee and Tems.
