WeeklySA_AdminCELEBRATION: With his new single Asinilibelanga, the singer honours South Africa’s departed cultural icons, urging fans to celebrate their lives and keep their legacies alive…
By WSAM Reporter
For Vusi Nova, remembering South Africa’s departed stars means more than mourning their absence. It also means celebrating the songs, stories and moments they left behind — and the ways their work continues to bring people together.
That spirit runs through his new single, Asinilibelanga, released on October 30, a tribute to the musicians, entertainers and cultural figures whose contributions remain woven into the country’s collective memory.
A follow-up to Asiphelelanga, the song returns to themes of loss and remembrance, with an invitation to honour those who have died through gratitude, music and celebration.
“We have lost so many beautiful souls who gave so much of themselves to our music, our culture and our lives. Their voices may be silent, but what they contributed to this country will never disappear,” says Nova.
“They gave us songs that became part of our stories, moments that brought us together and memories that we will carry forever.”
As South Africans prepare for the festive season, Nova hopes the song will encourage listeners to make space for both the pain of loss and the joy of remembering.
“With Asinilibelanga, I want us to remember them not only with sadness, but with gratitude and celebration. This festive season, when we sing and dance, let us do so in their honour,” he says.
“Let us celebrate the lives they lived, the joy they gave us and the legacies they left behind. We have not forgotten them, and we never will.”
The release coincides with his Here to Stay National Tour, which celebrates a decade of his album Naninina while introducing audiences to his latest EP, Here to Stay. Presented by Nova Sounds, the tour opened at The Ridge in Emalahleni on October 17, with opening performances by Kwanda and 047.
The announced itinerary includes Cape Town’s City Hall on November 13 and 14, followed by the Boardwalk Casino in Gqeberha on November 21 and 22. Further performances are scheduled for Mangaung on February 6, Mbombela on February 20, Durban on March 20 and East London on March 27, 2027.
Together, the tour and the single bring two parts of Nova’s musical journey into focus: his relationship with audiences who have supported him, and his appreciation of the artists whose work has helped shape South Africa’s cultural life.
With Asinilibelanga, he extends that remembrance to listeners, inviting them to keep departed artists present through the music they play, the memories they share and the celebrations still to come.
Tickets for the Here to Stay National Tour are available through Webtickets.
