A collective of 19 South African artists is set to release three songs that address gambling addiction, gender-based violence and drug abuse. The tracks are the output of Via Mzansi, a skills development and job-creation programme for emerging music professionals.
The project brings together final-year students from the Academy of Sound Engineering (ASE), many of whom already release music independently. The three songs are:
- ‘Spina’: named after the spinning of a roulette wheel, it examines gambling addiction, particularly amid the growth of online betting in South Africa.
- ‘What’s Wrong With The World?’: addresses gender-based violence.
- ‘Happy Boy’: focuses on drug addiction.
Studio placement and training#
The artists were placed at Jazzworx, a Dolby Atmos-accredited production studio in Bryanston, Johannesburg, through a national employment initiative funded by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) via its Social Employment Fund.
The placement gave participants practical experience in a professional studio environment, including training in spatial audio and Dolby Atmos delivery. These skills remain relatively rare among entry-level music professionals in South Africa.
Programme aims#
The Via Mzansi initiative combines employment and skills development with creative production. It enables participating students to apply their training in a professional setting while producing music that addresses social issues affecting South African communities.
Standout contributors to the project are expected to be announced individually ahead of the release.
