Moonchild Sanelly

With her multifaceted musical explorations, eccentric costumes, and collaborations with Damon Albarn, Gorillaz, and African Express under her belt, the South African musician Moonchild Sanelly has been doing things her own way from the start.

Sanelisiwe Twisha grew up in Port Elizabeth with a brother who produced hip hop and a mother who let her participate in dance competitions. It was a childhood full of music, and her passion was truly ignited when she moved to Durban in 2005 to study fashion. There, she immersed herself in the local scene before moving to Johannesburg, where she wrote for reggae bands and freestyled against other rappers.

Eventually, she created her own unique blend, which she describes as futuristic ghetto-funk, with a live show featuring extravagant outfits she designs herself. First, she became a star at home, and later, she found a global audience – she has performed at festivals like SXSW, Primavera, Glastonbury, and Boardmasters.

After her debut album "Rabulpha!" put her on the world map, she signed with Transgressive Records in 2020, where she first released the diverse mini-LP "Nüdes" before "Phases" came out: an album that takes sharp turns between amapiano, gqom, grime, pop, house, and R&B, while also showcasing her voice on more subdued material. Moonchild Sanelly remains a uniquely diverse artist. Now, she will be on stage in Stavanger for the first time when she comes to Tou on October 31st!