Moonchild Sanelly grows fan base on other continents

Moonchild Sanelly believes in staying true to herself and standing out, thanks to her idiosyncratic sound that has been key to her global music success. 

The 39-year-old musician, loved for her unique presence, distinct style and signature blue-hued locks, continues to grow her footprint in the global market, especially in Europe, which can't get enough of her genre that she coined "future ghetto funk".

Her new song Scrambled Eggs was produced by the renowned Johan Hugo, known for his avant-garde approach to pop. He has worked with international megastars from Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Miguel to M.I.A. 

The new single offers a taste of what is to come from her upcoming studio album set to drop later this year. “I’m pretty much in London every three weeks. I’m currently on tour practically since lockdown [in 2020],” she told Sowetan on Thursday.

“This specific trip is not only limited to just a tour but I’m here to shoot a music video with a pop artist from the UK who I can’t mention at the moment. 

“What helped me establish this fan base on this continent is that I don’t limit or put myself in a box. Having to go to these places known for their history of oppression speaks volumes to the black child’s dream… seeing the multitude of people looking at you shows how liberated we can be – it adds to Nelson Mandela’s stance on what freedom is, and knowing your power helps you to tap into territories you never expected to.”

She is fresh off her first Mexican tour.

She was born into a musical family, which included a brother as a hip-hop producer, jazz singer mother and cousins who are kwaito dancers. She first stepped into the industry through poetry and then started performing at campus shows while studying fashion at the Durban University of Technology. 

“The most amazing thing is seeing a crowd of people from a different continent singing Xhosa lyrics – it always blows my mind when that happens," she said.

"It’s ridiculous. I sometimes get taken aback that I feel like stopping my performance just to look at them, that’s how shocked I get at times."

An avid lover of Mzansi telenovelas and drama series, her career spans over a decade. She has headlined major festivals such as SXSW in Austin, Texas in the US, and Primavera Sound in Barcelona, Spain.

Her most notable career highlight remains when in 2019 she was featured on Beyoncé's The Lion King: The Gift album on the song My Power alongside fellow South African Busiswa.

The singer, widely loved for her "Moonmop" hairdo sparked whispers that she was rebranding after she was spotted a day ago with a brand-new hairstyle – a purple wig with bangs.

“My Moonmop is huge… and it keeps growing a fan base on its own. I would never let it go – this thing makes me money,” she laughed.  “I’m just incorporating this new look. I just want to show people how multifaceted I am but the Moonmop is going nowhere.”