Zakes Bantwini says his new music is not focused on recreating past hits but rather honouring his creativity in real-time.
After the mammoth success of this last album Ghetto King, yielding hits like Osama, Abantu and Girl in the Mirror, the Grammy-winning producer and musician takes a different path on his latest album, Echoes of Botanical Gardens created alongside Skye Wanda.
He takes Sowetan through his creative and collaborative process:
What was the inspiration behind your upcoming album?
Echoes of Botanical Gardens was born out of stillness. It is a deeply intentional body of work, not a collection of songs, but a single, cohesive journey. The botanical gardens as a concept represent a place where different species coexist in harmony, each one distinct yet part of something larger.
It differs from my previous work in that it is a true collaboration at its core. Skye Wanda and I poured equal parts of our hearts, time and spirit into every note. It is less about individual expression and more about what two artists can create when they fully trust each other.
Can music lovers expect a new sound that they haven’t heard before?
Absolutely. While the foundation remains Afro-house, which is where my soul lives, this album carries a deeper atmospheric quality. There is a nature-inspired, almost spiritual dimension to the sound. The layered percussion, the warmth in the arrangements, the way Skye’s voice moves through the production ... it creates an immersive world rather than just music to dance to.
The collaborators on this project were chosen with great care and each one adds a texture that feels fresh while still feeling like home.
Ghetto King had hits Osama and Girl in the Mirror — are you hoping to recreate that magic?
Osama and Girl in the Mirror were moments of grace; those songs took on a life of their own. I’m forever grateful for that. But I have never been an artist who chases a previous moment. Each album is its own truth.
What I hope for with Echoes of Botanical Gardens is that it moves people and it becomes the soundtrack to someone’s quiet morning, their long drive, their moment of reflection. If it does that, then I have succeeded.
How long did it take you to make this album?
This album has been growing quietly since early 2025. The process was one of patience and intentionality; there was no rush, no deadline driving the creative decisions.
Skye and I allowed the music to breathe and to tell us when it was ready. That kind of process requires trust in each other, in the music and in the timing.
Have you and Black Coffee rekindled your bromance?
Nkosinathi [Black Coffee’s birth name] and I are brothers in music, a bond that was forged in a music school by a man who shaped both of our lives musically.
The recent interaction occurred at a farewell dinner where a group of us who were shaped by the same school gathered to honour our lecturer, Mr Demi Fernandez, as he retires and returns to Spain. That evening was not about any of us; it was entirely about him (Fernandez).
About what one dedicated educator can plant in young people, and how far those seeds can travel. As for the music, Echoes of Botanical Gardens is out now. Listen to it.
