A collective of 19 South African artists is preparing to release three songs that confront gambling addiction, gender-based violence and drug abuse, as part of a skills development and job-creation programme for emerging music professionals.
The project, named Via Mzansi, brings together final-year students from the Academy of Sound Engineering (ASE), many of whom are already releasing music independently. The lead single, Spina, takes its name from the spinning of a roulette wheel and examines gambling addiction, particularly in the context of growing online betting in South Africa. Two additional tracks, What’s Wrong With The World? and Happy Boy, focus on gender-based violence and drug addiction respectively.
The artists were placed at Jazzworx Studios, a Dolby Atmos-accredited facility in Bryanston, Johannesburg, through a national employment initiative funded by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) via its Social Employment Fund. The placement provided practical experience in a professional studio environment, including training in spatial audio and Dolby Atmos delivery, skills that remain relatively rare among entry-level music professionals in the country.
Standout contributors to the project are expected to be announced individually ahead of the release.
