Idols SA alumni Lloyiso is a three-time South African Music Awards (Samas) nominee and that kind of mainstream recognition is not something he takes for granted.

Real name Loyiso Ntshongwana, the crooner from the Eastern Cape has come a long way since he rose to fame when he came fifth on the popular singing competition in 2015. The 24-year-old singer has become one of the most prominent R&B singer-songwriters on the continent. His guest appearance on the 2020 smash hit Indlovu by DJ Zinhle had everyone breaking a few move on the dance floor.

Earlier this year, Lloyiso dropped his much-anticipated debut EP Seasons, which resulted in his nominations for best pop album, Male Artist of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. 

“This nomination came out of nowhere... I wasn’t expecting it, especially so soon into my career. Before the news, I didn’t think I was there yet to be selected as a nominated artist because my musical journey is still at its beginning stages but in the same breath, I’m really grateful for this affirmation,” he said.

“If I win one of the awards, it’ll be a great indication that I am seen as a singer and my music is recognised. But if I don’t win any award, I won’t be sad over it as the award is not that much important than my mission which is to touch lives and make an impact with my music.”

Lloyiso admits that his journey to stardom has not been easy.

“The younger Lloyiso who first stepped into the scene was way too impatient, very naïve and filled with so much courage to make it. As the years progressed, I started learning and understanding how important timing is and relying on the stars aligning for your dreams to come to fruition,” he said.  

“I’ve had many ups and downs in the music industry thus far. I’ve made a lot of mistakes and signed bad deals. But in this process, I’ve learnt how important it is to want something and then go for it.” 

Lloyiso’s career during the pandemic also took a positive shift in 2021 with his covers of social media going viral. These covers helped Lloyiso gain global prominence, even performing at Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz's wedding last year.

“Fame doesn’t mean anything to me... I’m always thinking about my next move in the music industry. I’ve taught myself to switch my head off, pull myself together and not get caught up in being famous,” he said.  

“However, I tend to pause and live in the moment and enjoy the life that I’m living right now. What I also love is that I don’t need to stress myself with booking too many gigs anymore now that people know my name... with the time I have now, I am able to allow my creative juices flow and be creative in my own space and time.”