Lloyiso Is Apple Music’s Latest Africa Rising Recipient 

Pop singer-songwriter Lloyiso (real name Lloyiso Gijana) is the latest featured artist in Africa rising artist development program by Apple Music today

By Omotayo Olutekunbi

Lloyiso is a rising South African artist whose music has attracted fans. Lloyiso has contributed excitement to the Pop landscape since his mainstream debut, and his nomination for Apple Music’s Africa Rising accolade is in acknowledgment of his tremendous success.

“It’s an honour to be selected as the next Africa Rising artist on Apple Music,” Lloyiso says. “Apple has been a major supporter of mine from the very beginning and I’m so excited to continue working together via this program. This is just the start of what’s to come – I’m taking my music all the way from South Africa to the world!”

Lloyiso, who grew up singing in the church choir, piqued the public’s interest when he auditioned for SA Idols in 2015. Lloyiso went on to play anywhere he could throughout the country after finishing fifth, but it was his versions of famous songs by musicians such as Rihanna, Billie Eilish, and Lewis Capaldi that propelled him to viral fame.

Lloyiso made history as the first South African singer signed to Republic Records in America, and he made his mark with brutally honest singles ‘Easy On Me’ (2021) and ‘Talk’ (2022), reaching into an emotional fragility much beyond his youth.

Seasons (2023), his debut album, is now available to hear on Apple Music in Spatial Audio and is a 7-track culmination of his artistic progress, led by soulful single ‘Run’ and the expressive ballad ‘What Would I Say’.

Lloyiso’s latest work, as well as that of Africa’s best-emerging musicians, is now accessible on the Apple Music Africa Rising Playlist.