Community & The Divine Feminine: Inside The Alien Universe Of Khan Khalii

May 26, 2025 | Interviews, Music

One of life’s most frustrating yet intriguing facets is striking a delicate balance of our celestial energies. By that, I’m referring to the push and pull of the divine masculine and feminine. My interest in the divine feminine is sparked by how it is heralded as the home for fertility, creativity and intuition. For Tongaat-born-Pretoria-based singer and songwriter Nontokozo Qhobosheane, affectionately known as Khan Khalii, the sanctimonious frequency found in musical expression is how she channels her divine feminine through song, bold narrative and community.

With a rich catalogue boasting projects like “Gods Never Die, Vol. 1,” “Sooner,”  and collaborations like “VERSIONS Doubles, Vol.1,” “Moonlight,” “Oasis Park III”, and “VERSIONS Soundtrack, Pt 2” Khan’s artistry is nuanced by ethereal soundscapes that are complemented by emotive, raw storytelling. Blending Soul, R&B, and experimental textures, her music feels almost ritualistic — immersive, genre-defying, and deeply spiritual. Listening becomes a trance-like experience: part ancestral healing, part cosmic drift.

Her latest opus, “Lumeria”, serves as a marker of her artistic growth and conceptual brilliance. The serene seven-track offering is the first of a four-part concept universe set in an angelic alien world inhabited only by women. Through exploring grief, growth and transformation, we are warped into a sonic journey where we confront our shadows, facilitating much-needed inner work, grappling with the seven stages of grief at every turn to emerge from the listening experience with a renewed sense of strength.

Photography by Neo Lesego Kgotlagomang

Photography by Sibu Ngcobo of Everything Films

Khan’s feminine divinity unravels in her sense of community and business acumen, and this is evident through her being selected as one of thirty-five global fellows for the Versions Fellowship, Digital Lab Africa Music Cohort 2023, the Bridgefire Program, In The City, Basha Uhuru and Fak’ugesi African Digital innovation Festival where she contributed to the music industry through initiatives that use music to advocate for social justice, cross-disciplinary collaboration, digital innovation and more.

Above and beyond her impressive corporate profile, my favourite initiative of hers is Khan’s Korner, which started during COVID on Clubhouse, a workshop series for women and queer creatives focused on demystifying the music business and empowering marginalised voices through prioritising wellness and empowering her budding community with the skills, the tools and the education to navigating an extremely turbulent and uncertain industry riddled with entrepreneurial hurdles.

Curious about the genius behind the spiritual evolution, I shared an interesting conversation about her beginnings, the concept behind “Lumeria,” how certain songs shape her artistry and the misconceptions she deals with as an artist who is gaining international recognition. 

Take me back to the beginning. Please tell us about who you are and the journey you went on growing up that led to you creating music?

Khan Khalii: “My name is Khan Khalii. I’m a singer, songwriter, and music producer. I was born in Tongaat, KZN, but grew up in Pretoria. Music has always been central to my life—I spent much of my childhood in choir. I tried drama, too, but being naturally shy, it didn’t quite work out for me.

Growing up, I immersed myself in music, watching countless videos on VH1 and MTV Base. I also devoted time to writing poetry, which became an essential creative outlet. Deep down, I always knew music would be my path, even if I wasn’t sure exactly how it would happen.

My musical influences are diverse but meaningful. In high school, I connected deeply with The Soulquarians. Artists like Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, and Simphiwe Dana hold a special place in my heart. I also went through a significant Lebo Mathosa phase back then. I’ve consistently been drawn to artists who are unapologetically different and Black—I could see reflections of myself in them.

For me, making music is truly an act of worship. When I write, I feel closest to God, and with every song, I experience a kind of rebirth. The only way I can describe it is that I feel like I’m in church—it’s that sacred and transformative.”

Lumeria is set in an angelic alien universe inhabited only by women. What inspired this specific vision, and what does this setting allow you to express that a more conventional approach wouldn’t?

Khan Khalii: “The soundscape I was creating needed to exist entirely in a different universe—there was no way it could belong in our normal day-to-day reality. This creative direction coincided with a difficult period in my life. I was going through an existential crisis after losing my best friend, my cousin, and several family members in succession.

So, the idea emerged to create music that would belong to another universe altogether. When you’re building worlds, you naturally need to envision the beings who inhabit them. I’ve always felt safest around women, which inspired me to imagine a universe where only women existed.

During COVID, I went down an astrology rabbit hole and stumbled upon Lemuria—a mystical land that exists in mythology. Though my knowledge isn’t extensive, this discovery resonated with me. It made me reflect on the historical absence of Black women in science fiction until relatively recently.

That realisation sparked something deeper. I wanted to create a world where Black female alien superheroes would listen to this kind of music and feel cool and beautiful—a universe where they could truly belong and see themselves represented.”

Watch “Lesedi Laka” here

Photography by Sibu Ngcobo of Everything Films

Photography by Neo Lesego Kgotlagomang

“Imprint,” “Blood On My Hands,” “Phehello’s Interlude”, and “ILY” are some of my favourite tracks from “Lumeria”. What unique elements in each of these songs do you feel best represent different facets of your artistic identity?

Khan Khalii: “Wow. Okay. With ‘Phehello’s Interlude’, that’s a very special song for me. I didn’t think people would connect to it the way they have. That track contains the last voice note my best friend had sent to me—literally the last time we ever spoke. So, I’d say that represents a very sentimental, intentional, and sincere element of my artistry.

For ‘Imprint,’ it’s very love-coded and emotional—quite mushy. Ironically, I don’t like ‘Imprint’ that much, though it’s become one of the songs people connect with most. I understand why, though. The song is essentially about a love that didn’t reach its full potential but didn’t materialise or work out. Many people have had those experiences, so with ‘Imprint,’ I’d say the key element is relatability.

‘Blood On My Hands’ was an extremely challenging song to write. The process took over a year, starting back in 2023. I needed to figure out the soundscape first, and once I felt comfortable with that, I had to determine what story I was trying to tell within it. The song is about someone being gaslit and figuring out how to leave someone who’s hurting them. That may also be relatability, but it’s much more cinematic. Yes, I would categorise that one as representing my cinematic side.

And ‘ILY’—I wrote that song for my best friend Phehello before he passed away. He was going through a challenging period of depression and felt like the whole world was turning against him. It wasn’t a good time for my friend, and the only way I could truly show Phehello how much I cared was to write this song for him. I wanted him to know that no matter what happened in life or his challenges, I would always create a safe space where he could come over, hang out, and just forget about his problems for a while.

‘ILY’ represents safety because so many people walk around feeling unloved, unappreciated, and invisible. I wrote it for anyone who feels unseen, unheard, or underappreciated. Often, the most sincere, kindest, and hardest-working people get pushed aside because they might not have the most bravado, aren’t the loudest, or just prefer observing from the background. ‘ILY’ is truly for the wallflowers. I really believe that.”

As a South African artist gaining international attention, what misconceptions about African music do you most often encounter, and how does your work challenge those perceptions?

Khan Khalii: “From my experience working with international producers, particularly in the Afro House and House music space, I’ve encountered a persistent assumption that I must sing in Zulu. It feels like an unconscious prerequisite even when it’s not explicitly stated.

There’s this underlying perception that Africans are a monolith, and we all must conform to certain expectations. Yes, I do incorporate traditional elements in my music, but it seems there’s an expectation that you must be strictly ‘traditional’ or what some might call ‘Afrocentric.’ What I find challenging is the lack of room for exploring what being African truly means. Artists like Tyla, Bongeziwe Mabandla, and Desire Marea have really broken those boundaries. But when you’re primarily viewed as just a vocalist, you’re expected to deliver a certain type of sound.

I often think, ‘What if I want to write differently? What if the song calls for a different approach?’ These are the challenges I’ve faced over the past couple of years—making people understand that our country has tremendous diversity. We’re all different, and while it’s our duty as African artists, especially South African artists, to be custodians of our culture, it shouldn’t happen in a way that strips us of our individualism and identity or panders to these limiting stereotypes.”

Thank you for joining us for this interview. Before you go, could you let us know what the rest of 2025 holds for you and what’s next for Khan Khali?

Khan Khalii:  “What’s next for me is the ‘Lumeria’ show happening in August, which I’m really excited about. Before that, I’ll be releasing part two of ‘Lumeria’ in July, along with a couple of music videos. So those are the main projects I’m focusing on right now.”

Stream “Lumeria” here

 

Connect With Khan Khali

X (formerly Twitter): @khankhalii

Instagram: @khankhalii

Tik Tok: @Khankhalii_

YouTube: @khankhaliiofficial4574

 

Written by Cedric Dladla 

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Follow CEC on Instagram

 

French Duo, Astels, unveil their debut album, ‘The Meeting’

May 23, 2025 | New Release, Music

Astels, an emerging duo that has captivated the French music scene, unveil their debut album, ‘The Meeting’. Following the success of their 2024 EP ‘Lost In A New Era’ (with nearly 8 million streams), Théo and Camille deliver a sincere and bold project at the crossroads of Electro-Pop, RnB, and House. This first album tells the story of their meeting – the starting point of Astels – and how they discovered each other both musically and personally. It also explores the many challenges they have faced in their young careers. This evolution has led them to define their artistic identity with greater confidence, exploring a wide range of genres.

“This first album tells the genesis of our project and how it allowed us to reconnect with a part of our artistic identity. Unlike our first EP, which reflected the inner chaos of our early days in the music industry, The Meeting is a succession of moments and emotions that shaped us. Each track represents a stage of this journey, the struggles we have faced together in our young career.” Astels.

From the very first track, “Winter Blues”, the tone is set: a blend of Pop, House, and Soul influences, driven by Funk harmonies and sharp Hip-Hop rhythms. “We wrote this track during the winter of 2023, a time when we first had to confront toxic figures in the music industry,” they explain. The album also tackles significant themes, such as “On My Knees”, a plea against climate inaction set to a UK

Garage/2-Step production, or “Black Stars”, one of the duo’s most personal songs, expressing the rejection and misunderstanding they faced from their close circle regarding their choice to pursue music. “We composed this track in 20 minutes on a winter night and recorded it in Camille’s grandmother’s closet, as a form of revenge against years of doubt,” they reveal. Between introspective ballads and danceable anthems, ‘The Meeting’ showcases impressive versatility: “Give Up On You” and “High” reimagine the codes of RnB and Jazz, while “Don’t You Think” introduces Rap for the first time in their discography, symbolizing determination and defiance in the face of obstacles. With “Walkin’ Proud”, the duo celebrates self-confidence and acceptance, marking a turning point in the album where identity struggles give way to personal fulfillment. Finally, “All Night Long”, a track designed for the clubs, pays tribute to their House inspirations and closes The Meeting on an euphoric and festive note.

“We wanted to showcase the broadest possible musical spectrum: from House with All Night Long, to RnB with This Is How It Is, and Pop on Appetizers. This project is a reflection of our respective musical influences, intertwined to create something unique.” – Astels

Formed in 2023, Astels – comprising Théo (multi-instrumentalist and producer) and Camille (singer) – quickly made a name for themselves as a must-watch duo in the French music scene. Initially discovered through their viral jam session videos, which accumulated tens of millions of views on social media, they solidified their rise with their debut EP Lost In A New Era, surpassing 8 million streams. The duo went on to sell out shows in Paris and London and performed at festivals such as Le Weekend des Curiosités and La Crème Festival. With ‘The Meeting’, Astels takes a new step forward, affirming a hybrid and immersive musical universe where Funk, Electro-Pop, RnB, and House blend with refreshing spontaneity.

 

Listen to ‘The Meeting’ here

 

Press release courtesy of Only Good Stuff

LINKIN PARK present the Deluxe Edition of their latest album ‘FROM ZERO’

May 23, 2025 | New Release, Music

Linkin Park notably extended and expanded the original chart-topping record ‘From Zero’ with three brand new tracks, including the latest “Let You Fade.” Capping off this body of work, the cathartic closer doubles as an emotional highpoint boosted by the interplay between Mike Shinoda and Emily Armstrong over the ebb-and-flow of the song’s heavy intro and hushed bridge. Once again, it showcases LINKIN PARK’s grasp of dynamics, thriving in the midst of sonic extremes with grace, tension, and release.

“Up From The Bottom” initially kickstarted this Deluxe chapter. Soaring into the Top 5 at both Alternative and Rock Radio, it has gathered 42 million Spotify streams and 22 million YouTube views on the music video. Watch HERE. Earning acclaim, Revolver applauded, “It taps into the propulsive, pop-punk-ish and mid-tempo spirit of last year’s FROM ZERO single “The Emptiness Machine,” and likewise features piano embellishment and a bridge sporting turntables, 808 beats and more,” and NME hailed it as “ferocious” and “explosive.’  

FROM ZERO, winner of this year’s “Rock Album of the Year” at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, has churned out successive hits since its 2024 debut. “The Emptiness Machine” surged as “the biggest rock song of 2024,” spending 15 weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Rock & Alternative Airplay Chart. Their next anthem “Heavy Is The Crown” followed in its footsteps at #1 on the respective chart. FROM ZERO impressively bowed at #1 on charts in 14 countries. Stateside, it opened at #2 on the Billboard 200 and at #1 across six Billboard charts: Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums, Top Alternative Albums, Top Hard Rock Albums, Vinyl Albums, and Indie Store Album Sales. Not to mention, it has incited widespread acclaim from the likes of VULTURE, The Guardian, KERRANG!, NME, Associated Press, USA Today, and more. As reported by Billboard, LINKIN PARK was the one-and-only rock band to cross over 2 Billion yearly streams in 2024.

 

Listen to ‘From Zero’ here

 

Press release courtesy of Warner Music Africa

Dr Feel puts his spin on ‘Ubuntu’ with a new remix

May 23, 2025 | New Release, Music

Dr Feel puts his own spin on “Ubuntu” with his fresh remix, bringing new energy to this already powerful track. Known for his deep, rhythmic Afro House sound, Dr Feel, originally from Zimbabwe and now based in Johannesburg, has made waves in the scene with support from Black Coffee and performances alongside the likes of DJ Kabila, Oskido, and Shimza.

In this remix, Dr Feel takes the track in a new direction, infusing it with an uplifting vibe. The bright, flowing melodies and electric guitar riffs bring a fresh energy, while the playful arps create a sense of lightness and joy. This version breathes new life into the original, adding an element of warmth and happiness that complements its spirit perfectly.

Released on Sippy Time, Dr Feel proves again why he’s one of the most respected producers in the game. “Ubuntu” (Dr Feel Remix) is more than just a twist on the original; it’s a track that speaks to the spirit of togetherness and power, both on and off the dance floor.

 

Listen to ‘Ubuntu’ (Dr Feel Remix) here

 

Press release courtesy of Sippy Time

Culture Zine Workshop presents ‘Rolling Culture – A Culture in Motion’

May 22, 2025 | Creatives, Community

The Culture Zine Workshop is a collaborative event series based in Johannesburg that invites creatives to archive, reflect on, and contribute to local culture through storytelling and design, in the form of zine-making. Each edition centres on a core theme, fostering authentic conversations between emerging and established voices. 

This month, The Culture Zine Workshop returns with a new edition, bringing a storytelling experience to the forefront. This instalment introduces ‘Rolling Culture – A Culture in Motion’, a short film that captures the dynamic pulse of South African street culture. 

The workshops, produced by Huemxn and co-hosted by Alphabet Zoo and iQhawe Magazine, bring together writers, artists, and cultural thinkers to reflect on contemporary movements. Each edition includes a guest creative who helps guide the theme and direction of the session. Previous guests include Kasi Flavour, Ebumnandini, and Vans. For this edition, Culture Club Magazine joins the team as an exclusive partner.

All imagery courtesy of Huemxn

Taking place on 31 May 2025 at Breezeblock in Brixton, the workshop will feature guest creative host Day Marumo. The event includes the exclusive screening of ‘Rolling Culture’, a film co-produced and co-directed by creative agency Huemxn, with cinematography by Aziah Soul and post-production by Hloni Matjila. 

This edition, titled ‘Rolling Culture – A Culture in Motion’, sees Day Marumo be the guest creative host spotlighting the conversation about creativity, community, and contribution. The featured film explores the influences that shaped Marumo’s creative path and highlights the individuals actively documenting and defining South African street culture.

“Rolling Culture is more than a film — it’s a tribute to the people and stories that keep the culture alive and in motion,” — Lebo Mashigo, founder of Huemxn.

In addition to the film screening, there will be a panel discussion with these featured creative voices:

The event includes a DJ lineup from Makhumalo, Circles and Squares, Franadilla and Zango Kubheka.

Event Details

Date: 31 May 2025

Time: 15:00 – 20:30

Venue: Breezeblock, Brixton

 

Book tickets to The Culture Zine Workshop here

 

Press release courtesy of Huemxn

Shelley Mokoena’s label Connade Experiments with Radical Restraint

May 20, 2025 | Interviews, Fashion

Shelley Mokoena knows precisely who she is. With clarity, and a breadth and depth of creative vision, Shelley’s label Connade is an articulation of her inner world, and a reflection of the layered realities and mediums that guide her. Connade forms part of a subtle movement (or, return, rather) to an African minimalist sensibility in which, “restraint,” as Shelley aptly puts it, is its foundational principle; deriving inspiration across architecture, design, mythology and nature. This is certainly not minimalism for minimalism’s sake, but rather a refined expression of intention—in service of clarity. 

Shelley’s work resists excess in favour of meaning, drawing from architectural precision, sculptural form, and the quiet force of stillness. Her lexicon is spare but eloquent, deeply rooted yet future-facing, and through her practice, Shelley is a preeminent artist pursuing a growing design vocabulary that honours heritage while imagining new aesthetic possibilities for the continent. The result is utterly phenomenal. 

When Connade arrived in the world a few years ago, it arrived as a force. In fact, it was one of the first brands I ever discussed in the early days of Interlude, where I unpacked the label’s debut pieces and noted their technical precision and sculptural finesse. That attention to detail has remained a hallmark of Shelley’s design language. The Cleansing Collection ’22 stands as a prime example—with elements like piping and panelling creating contour and volume, drawing inspiration from the fluid nature of water. Shelley’s work always holds the mark of deep spiritual insight and invites us to consider the impact of materiality as an expression of something more profound. 

‘Black Light’ SS25 Collection, courtesy of Connade

Shelley wears pieces from SS25, courtesy of Connade

Shelley Mokoena, courtesy of Connade

Suffice to say, Connade went quiet for a bit; but as I learn from Shelley in our conversation—and following the immensely anticipated release of Connade’s Spring/Summer 2025 Black Light collection—Shelley creates at her own pace, in her own time, precisely with the intention and preservation of what matters most: meaning over momentum, and a preservation—of energy, of integrity, of vision. 

As it is, this is truly conscious fashion.

Like many of the greats arriving at the altar of fashion—Rei Kawakubo with her studies in Fine Arts and Literature, and Issey Miyake with his training in Graphic Design—Shelley’s background as an interior designer is equally telling. With a natural inclination for spatial awareness, the disciplines and principles of structure, balance, and material sensitivity flow into her work in fashion. Shelley notes, “I feel like I’ve done quite a lot in the past. I studied interior design. I’ve always been into fashion, from a very young age. I always knew that it was not something I necessarily wanted to study, but that it was something that I would go into eventually.” Shelley’s grounding outside of the perils of ‘fashion world’ in the strict, traditional sense has allowed her to approach building Connade as an artistic endeavour—with fashion, beyond an aesthetic pursuit, is her study on how garments occupy space, move with the body, and evoke feeling. “I think you can see the sculptural elements of the garments that I make, informed by my interior design background,” Shelley affirms, “that plays a big part in the clothing I create. I had a different clothing brand before, which was more of a thrift-wear brand. But I think I’ve always known that I would start my own clothing brand. Which is, I guess, a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. You know, because if you know what you want to be, then it’s not always a good thing because you have this idea of what you’re trying to do.”

At first glance, one might mistake Connade for a nod to Japanese design sensibilities—but this is a misinterpretation of context, and context is crucial to understanding both the label and Shelley herself. As Shelley points out, Connade is first and foremost an expression of African minimalism—a design philosophy rooted in clarity and cultural depth, centering form, function, and heritage without excess; “sometimes the word ‘minimalism’ can get taken out of context. People see it as a style instead of a way of doing things. For me, it’s about restraint—implementing what’s necessary to create what needs to be, not a stylistic trend. It’s about understanding that things don’t have to be too much and that there should be a sense of meaning.”

Unlike Western minimalism, which often strips away context, African minimalism preserves cultural narrative and symbolism within clean, refined expressions. Connade’s collections are, therefore, perennially and expressively minimal, deeply enriched, and always carry a spiritual and mythological undercurrent.

African minimalism is both a historical philosophy and a contemporary movement, and we can see it reveals itself in the geometric precision of Ndebele mural art, the sculptural restraint of Dogon architecture in Mali, and the intentional simplicity of Zulu basket weaving; with coiled forms and earth-toned patterns functionally encoded with social and spiritual meaning. Shaped by ancestral knowledge— and favouring natural materials, muted palettes, and thoughtful, intentional construction—it is a mantle of expression intrinsic across the continent. For Shelley, the mythos of Connade is integrated across the multiplicity within her identity, and the commitment to absorbing reality as she sees it. 

Shelley Mokoena, courtesy of Connade

‘Black Light’ SS25 Collection, courtesy of Connade

‘Black Light’ SS25 Collection, courtesy of Connade

Shelley shares that, “coming from an African standpoint, I knew I didn’t want to create what people typically call ‘African fashion’. I wanted to bring a perspective that was unique to my own experience — to combine my design background with the simplicity and form I see in African architecture and design. I was interested in this balance between absence and presence — in using space, restraint, texture — to create something I personally haven’t experienced before.”

Shelley’s personal style and the visual language of Connade are inseparable—an authentic extension of one another, bound by a shared philosophy of presence. Her signature monochromatic palette is a considered alignment with her sensibility and values. “I love colour—for other people!” Shelley laughs. “Colour is amazing. It’s a way to create a sense of feeling. There’s a lot of colour philosophy in design and art. But for me, using monochrome palettes—black, white, greys, neutrals—it ties into my love for nature. Even the designs I create are very much influenced by nature and this idea of perfect imperfection.”

This reverence for nature runs throughout her work, guiding Connade’s emotional tone. “When you look at nature, it looks perfect, but there’s so much imperfection in it. It’s not trying to do too much. With monochrome, you’re not trying to do too much—just like nature. So I feel like it’s always going to be part of the brand identity, and part of who I am.” In this way, Shelley’s design choices are never arbitrary—they are personal and poetic, reinforcing the cohesion between who Shelley is, and what Connade is becoming. 

As an elder of monochromatic mastery, and bearing strict allegiance to neutral tones, Yohji Yamamoto has often noted how working with colours like black forces one to push silhouette and design in other ways. With neutrals, he suggests, you can’t rely on colour to carry the integrity of a garment. On this, Shelley echoes a similar sentiment: “That’s so real—because you have to now really have to design! You have to rethink how the silhouette sits, how the garment speaks without anything. When you’re working with black and white and neutral colours, they don’t really do too much. So you have to create from that absence.” Monochrome demands focus on the essence of the garment itself. 

When I ask Shelley about the pause between her last collections, she shares that “With any fashion brand — especially for someone like me — you often start without the right team or all the resources in place. It’s a process. Even with big brands like Victoria Beckham, it’s still a work in progress. For me, it was important to take a step back and ask: What have I done in the past few years, and what do I actually want to put out into the world going forward?” While most are rushing toward the hype, and ‘seizing the moment’ as it were in the fleeting timelines of fashion, Shelley’s unbridled confidence in her work is a testament unto itself. This is Shelley’s time, divine timing; what a teaching this pace of intentionality is for us all. 

‘Black Light’ SS25 Collection, courtesy of Connade

This period of reflection is at the heart of SS25. Shelley explains, “With this new collection, I really wanted to create something that—if I were to die today—I could say, ‘Yeah, that’s okay. I’m proud of that.’ That idea is something I carry with me now. Whenever I’m creating, I ask myself: If something happened to me today, would I be happy with what I’ve left behind?” This sense of personal accountability underscores her creative process, but it’s also tempered by an understanding of surrender. “At the same time, I try not to put too much pressure on myself. It’s about grace — knowing I won’t always love every piece or feel 100% certain, but trusting my gut and following what feels right.” 

The collection notes for ‘Black Light’ SS25 are philosophically and radically, perfect. Self-described: Connade’s design ethos is monastic yet radical, ethereal yet grounded. This season, volumes are amplified, textures are sculpted, and garments are engineered to exist beyond time. With each collection, the brand dismantles conventions, reconstructing heritage into future-facing forms. ⁠Transcending fashion, this collection is a movement that reclaims the poetics of darkness as fertile, generative, and divine. It is a meditation on concealment as luxury, anonymity as power, and form as mythology. ⁠Shelley notes that, “with the new collection, I was inspired a lot by African mysticism — that unseen layer of storytelling and symbolism that’s always been present in our culture, but doesn’t always find expression in fashion. I wanted to explore that visually, structurally, spiritually.”

A potential move to Cape Town is ahead, and the vision of a concept store for Connade; this, I feel, will be its own Mecca given Shelley’s impeccable taste; in literally, everything. Shelley’s ability to translate minimalist principles into an immersive, tactile experience across garments, spaces, textures, and details demonstrate that whatever she touches, and imbues with her essence, will always be transcendent. Aesthetically influential and philosophically ahead of the rest: The Mythos of Connade; how lucky we are to bear witness. 

 

Written by Holly Bell Beaton

 

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

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Zanele Muholi’s ‘Faces and Phases 19’ opens this month in Los Angeles

May 19, 2025 | Creatives, Art

Accompanied by Zanele Muholi’s rich, interdisciplinary practice exploring self-portraiture and identity, race and the notion of becoming racialised, pleasure and sexuality, as well as other photographic engagements with Queer life, their new solo exhibition ‘Faces and Phases 19’, while ever-evolving, continues to provide solid ground to the artist’s work.

This solo exhibition held in Los Angeles celebrates 19 years of Muholi’s seminal photographic project documenting the lives of Black lesbian, bisexual and Queer women, Trans and gender non-conforming people. Initially focused on South Africa, the new series of portraits expands the project’s geography into the US, UK, Brazil and Portugal. This now-historic body of work comprises a collection of close to 1,000 photographs, collectively forming a “living Queer archive”.

Moved into action by both love and loss, Muholi began the work of Faces and Phases in 2006. That year marked the 10th anniversary of the passing of the 1996 Civil Union Bill in South Africa, which legalised same-sex marriage and civil partnership. While this move for Queer institutional inclusion is notable for being ‘ahead of its time’, South Africa’s progressive branding is rarely indicative of its reality: a situation of extreme homophobic, Transphobic and patriarchal violence forms the backdrop of a nation in which poor Black Queer people find themselves at particularly high risk of being the victims of horrific, often-fatal hate crimes.

In the face of the LGBTQIA+ community’s experience of grief, often exacerbated in the media by traumatising imagery or faceless statistics, Muholi sought to assert a counternarrative. In the collection of minimally staged, non-glamorised black-and-white portraits, Faces and Phases offered stories of Black lesbian life as beautiful, defiant, and crucially, as normal. As it has gained international recognition for its historical importance, the Faces and Phases archive has grown not only in size, but in its scope and philosophy, too. While its initial focus was on Black lesbians, it has since made way for more fluid understandings of gender and sexuality, and now includes the images and stories of Black Trans men and gender non-conforming people.

Kindala Araújo Ferreira, Casa de Cultura Marielle Franco, Salvador, 2025, photography by Zanele Muholi, courtesy of Southern Guild

Zyi Saenz, Los Angeles, 2024, photography by Zanele Muholi, courtesy of Southern Guild

The project’s representational diversity of Black Queer expression and personal history is contrasted only by the singular, hard gaze of each participant, which meets, challenges (and potentially flusters) the viewer. Configured around this gaze, Muholi’s photographic strategy can be imagined as an ongoing exercise in portrayal, prioritising the carriage of the participant’s power over the photographic potential to capture the subject or hold them still.

The Faces and Phases’ gaze stares directly at the colonial archive, and at modern histories of patriarchy and violent attempts on Black Queer life; it stares down escalating global fascism, which chooses the Trans body, the colonised body, the diasporic, immigrant, or otherwise ‘foreign’ body as the site upon which to wage war. As Muholi describes it, “it’s like everyone is looking at you no matter what direction you take”, ultimately landing these gazes on the body of the viewer, who is unable to escape either their scrutiny or their beauty. Sakina, an LA participant, finds freedom here: “Seeing someone else’s expression broadens your ability to be human.”

Muholi’s production of an archive of self-fashioned Black Queer people must thus be recognised first as an expression of love for the community of which they are a part. And like any good love, Muholi’s is active, curious, and committed to its cause, extending beyond the photographic zone into the building of a connective social universe that affirms, validates and deeply admires Black Queer existence.

Less visible than the portraits is the foundational labour of the project — the extensive interviewing and documentation of participant testimonials that precedes and shapes how, or even if, participants are photographed. This work is the enactment of Muholi’s curiosity, highlighting listening as the central ethic and strategy of their photographic practice.

The act of return is absolutely central to the work, with Muholi often revisiting and rephotographing participants over the years, allowing time and the joyous instability of identity to do its work. Formerly-identifying lesbians transition, their pronouns changing, sometimes along with their voices, muscle mass, facial hair and preferred clothing silhouettes; sometimes not. Faces and Phases does not pretend to ‘conclude’ the impossible, slippery task of Queer representation, but through frequent return, commits to remaining alive with the concerns and tensions of its community.

In the colonial ‘tradition’, the archive is static and consumable, instrumentalising its power to still histories through category, where Faces and Phases is enlivened by what participant Farai thinks about as “that energy that Queer people carry”. ‘Home’ for the Black Queer body, is a repeated attempt to reckon with the histories of violence and social rejection that have caused self-abandonment, where return marks a defiant rescue mission towards a deeper, and still deeper, repressed internal self. Participant Alyx says, “None of us are free until we liberate ourselves from all of those societal and cultural norms… being yourself is the biggest first step toward freedom.” Muholi’s commitment to witnessing and grappling with Queer return is echoed throughout their practice, as they honour the work of transition — in all its iterations — as an ongoing and largely internal process of self-discovery. 

Diana Cristina Nascimento Ramos, Salvador, 2025, photography by Zanele Muholi, courtesy of Southern Guild

João Vitar Gomes de Souza (_Vittor Adél_), Salvador, 2025, photography by Zanele Muholi, courtesy of Southern Guild

Centralising identity’s phasic nature, their work ultimately struggles against the historic limits of photographic capture, resisting ending, holding open the openings, and ritualising the sacred practice of return.

In its current iteration in LA, Faces and Phases presents a particular defiance of the current US administration, which makes one of its missions the violent targeting of Trans bodies. The nation’s dominance has global consequences, not least of which is in the withdrawal of funding from Global South initiatives that provide support and healthcare to Queer and Trans people, including in South Africa. These larger stories underlie the personal narratives of Muholi’s Faces and Phases portraits, which are both a demonstration of solidarity-across-borders and a refusal of the idea that ‘true’ knowledge is only produced by the West.

This energy of defiance echoes throughout the project, which always prioritises the invitation and celebration of the participants to whom the archive first belongs. So although making good use of its modes of exchange and circulation, the work of Faces and Phases is ultimately at home well beyond the art spaces in which it is displayed. It finds potent relevance in contexts from gender studies departments and high school classrooms, to Queer friendship groups, who are made collectively breathless by the archive’s ever real and always beautiful faces.

In its many hundreds of gazes, and its embrace of Queer transition, the project is a force of life. Muholi’s ongoing reckoning with histories of violent representation commits itself, in Faces and Phases, to the life work of unconditional Black Queer love: a practice of militant curiosity, care and deep admiration.

Faces and Phases 19 runs concurrently with In Us is Heaven, a group exhibition featuring interdisciplinary artists from Africa and North America exploring the heterogeneity of Queer experience and expression. Coinciding with Los Angeles’ Pride Month, the exhibition will be accompanied by a programme of talks and events featuring Zanele Muholi and the broader Queer community.

 

Text by Thuli Gamedze for Southern Guild

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

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Julia Mestre releases her third album ‘Maravilhosamente Bem’

May 16, 2025 | New Release, Music

Proudly presenting ‘Maravilhosamente Bem’, the female-centred third album by Brazilian singer, songwriter, actress, and creative director, Julia Mestre.

Alongside being a member of the Latin Grammy-winning Brazilian supergroup, Bala Desejo, Julia has been steadily building a solo career where her unique vision and alluring sultry voice take centre stage. Drawing inspiration from ‘80s ballads, MPB, pop and disco productions, each song on this third album finds Julia creatively exploring different characters and tones.

A love-song-driven LP at its core, Maravilhosamente Bem holds a playful mirror up to blissful days gone by, artfully reimagined with Julia’s own modern twist. An album filled with love and nostalgia, it pays homage to her love of classic female disco divas such as Donna Summer, Sade, Alcione, Lady Zu, and the Brazilian rock queens Rita Lee and Marina Lima. Of that latter pairing, the late iconic Brazilian vocalist and musician Rita Lee (Os Mutantes) is referenced in the music video for the first single, ‘Sou Fera’, blessing Julia with a magical guitar. Marina Lima then provides guest vocals on the album’s closing track, ‘Marinou, Limou’, with her name transformed into a mantra by Julia.

Channelling a lo-fi ‘80s ballad aesthetic, Julia navigates a multitude of themes across the nine sublime tracks. From the sexy, whispered performances on vintage horror movie-inspired tunes ‘Vampira’ and ‘Pra Lua’, to the delicate, fragile love lullabies of ‘Sentimento Blues’ and ‘Cariñito’, and the seductive disco diva embodiment on dance tracks ‘Veneno de Serente’ and title track ‘Maravilhosamente Bem’. Another hidden highlight is the palette-cleansing mini-suite, ‘Interlúdio dos Amantes’. A luscious strings instrumental piece that lends to the beautiful Sade-esque ‘Seu Romance’.

Produced by Julia and longtime collaborators Gabriel Quirino, Gabriel Quinto, and João Moreira, Maravilhosamente Bem sees Julia embarking on a new era of her musical career. This sensational third album is a captivating showcase of the creative vision and versatility of one of Brazil’s finest stars. Released on Mr. Bongo (ROW) and Altafonte (Brazil/Portugal).

Listen to ‘Maravilhosamente Bem’ here

Press release courtesy of Only Good Stuff

Yuu Udagawa releases her latest EP ‘Golden Glow’

May 16, 2025 | New Release, Music

Following Yuu Udagawa’s EPs “Ride It” and “Peaceful Dawn” from last year, she’s back again in full effect presenting four timeless jazz-electronica-house hybrid tracks for Compost Records.

Title track ‘Golden Glow’ is an electric samba-infused broken beat gem, with joyful vocal melodies and a superfunky bassline creating a truly elevated vibe. ‘Reverie’ comes in smooth, slow-motion house guise. Yuu’s ethereal vocal interludes unfold in interplay with piano improvisations. The track ‘One More’ seems to come straight out of a smoky jazz club. Jazzy piano sounds meet plucked double bass, underlaid with dreamy synth pads and Yuu’s whispers from the twilight zone. On ‘Velvet City’, Yuu unleashes her soulful vocal talent and her flair for wonderfully ambitiously produced deep house. A great, uplifting jam that appeals to both the heart and the dancing feet.

About Yuu Udagawa

Yuu, who studied art and philosophy in high school, has since performed at clubs, festivals and fashion shows and is now a regular in the lounges of five-star hotels like the Park Hyatt Tokyo, showcasing her versatility as a DJ. Drawing on her insights and extensive experience in creating musical atmospheres in various spaces, she continues expanding her musical creation journey.

In 2010, she composed “Blossom,” the main menu BGM for Sony PlayStation 3 (Torne and Vita), captivating gamers. After that, she released several tracks for various projects. In 2021, her music caught the eye of German artist Manuel Tur, leading to her music being released through prestigious labels such as Compost Records in Munich, Germany, Cyphon Recordings in London, founded by Jimpster and Tom Roberts, to the up-and-coming Cosmocities Records in Dijon, France, and the popular Razer- N-Tape in Brooklyn, USA. These collaborations have boosted her international visibility. She was invited by Freerange Records in London to deliver a DJ MIX on Apple Music to celebrate International Women’s Day 2024.

Listen to ‘Golden Glow’ here

 

Press release courtesy of Only Good Stuff

Spanish Producer, PIEK, releases his LP ‘Celebrate’

May 16, 2025 | New Release, Music

Presenting three standout tracks, Spanish producer PIEK‘s forthcoming LP, ‘Celebrate’, has been issued on his own Buenobueno Discos imprint.

With over two decades of experience in the industry, PIEK has built a solid reputation across the international scene, releasing music on top-tier labels like Fabric, Defected, OM Records, Balance, Toy Tonics, and Ubiquity.

‘Celebrate’ marks the beginning of a new chapter in PIEK’s artistic evolution. Eight years after his debut LP, he returns with a radiant, emotional, and dancefloor-ready album that explores the uplifting power of electronic music. Crafted between analogue machines, vinyl-sampled textures, and deep introspection, Celebrate is a vibrant journey through PIEK’s personal universe—where nostalgia, rhythm, and sonic experimentation collide. This is not just an album. It’s an invitation to feel, to move, and to connect.

For this sampler, we’re showcasing the feelgood boom-bap hip hop of ‘New Day’ which features vocals from Ryan Roush & John Vermont, uptempo Latin dance cut ‘Prendan Un Fokin Abanico ‘ which features vocals from rising star Letón Pé, and nostalgic deep house anthem ‘Music Sounded Better With U’.

Listen to ‘Celebrate’ here

 

Press release courtesy of Only Good Stuff